Broomsticks and The Black Caverns
by JenniePenny
Summary: DRAMIONE #6 in the Broomsticks series. By popular demand the Minister of Magic, Draco Malfoy and his heroine wife Hermione Malfoy are back, along with all the usual players. When the Malfoy family plans a holiday around Lucius and Narcissa's 40th Anniversary at the ancestral, vacation home of the famous Black family, things do not go as planned. MATURE SEX LANG VIOLENCE* LOVESTORY*
1. Black Caverns Manor

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter One

It was hotter than a Salem witch shish-kabob, his chest sticky with sweat and his hard pants ragged in her ear as he hammered her like only Draco could do. "Don't stop, don't stop, Dragon, don't stop fucking me ever!" she howled as her climax ripped through her.

"Fuck you're hot," Draco said through husky pants as he flopped over onto his back. Hermione was in seventh heaven as she nuzzled against his slick chest.

"If this is what retirement is going to be like then I can't wait for your term to be over."

"Nor can I Sweetpea, nor can I," the blond said and he turned and kissed her, his velvety tongue swooping into her mouth and leaving Hermione absolutely breathless and wanting for more. "Can you not call it retirement though? It makes it sound as if I'm old and decrepit, like Father," Draco chuckled.

"Well you are pushing forty, Draco," Hermione smirked. "Oh, hold still," she said and she reached up and plucked a hair from his head.

"Ouch," Draco snapped and he gripped her by the hand.

"Sorry," Hermione laughed. "A stray, gray hair."

"It was not," Draco bit out as he launched himself from the bed and swaggered over to Hermione's vanity where he gazed at his appearance in the mirror.

"Perhaps at the ripe, old age of thirty-nine you've become a bit senile. That or gullible, because that was far too easy to get under your skin," Hermione chortled.

"You vile, wicked 'ole witch," Draco said as he spun on his feet and then dove onto the bed, intent on capturing Hermione. A chase ensued as Hermione leapt from the bed, her squeals and giggles echoing through the house.

"Uncle," she cried when Draco captured her in his arms and then began to tickle Hermione until her sides began to ache. "Come on, we need to get going and I still have loads of packing to do. Let me go Draco," she through a fit of raucous laughter.

"Not until you take it back," he said, pinning her to the bed.

"I take it back. You're still the smartest, sexiest wizard in all of the wizarding world," Hermione said staring into the silver pools of his eyes.

"That's better," he purred as he sunk his head into her neck where he began to kiss and nibble at her skin. Satisfying goose bumps erupted on her arms and she laced her arms around his neck.

"I can't wait to see the world with you. Where shall we go first, Egypt, Antarctica, Australia?"

"I was thinking that we spend a nice, long month in bed before we start our world travels."

"In bed? Whatever would we do to pass the time? Sounds boring," Hermione smiled.

"Right, now you're asking for it woman," Draco said and he pinned her arms above her head and parted her knees. She arched her back and sucked in a breath when he impaled her once more.

"I love you…Gray hairs and all," Hermione moaned.

"You better hold on tight because this old man feels a distinct spring in his step today," Draco said and then he flipped her over onto all fours, gripped her by the hips and then trust into her so deep that Hermione yelped out.

"Gods, more Dragon."

~~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~~

Luke was a successful alchemist, and the acting vice-chairman of the largest chain of Apothecaries in all of Britain, _Malfoy's Potions Plus_. He was tall and good-looking, with his warm, brown hair and his piercing gold eyes. He was smart too, much smarter than your average, run of the mill wizard of nineteen, so he should have been on cloud nine instead of sulking on the couch in his penthouse that overlooked the Thames after Lily chucked him for a broomstick and a quaffle.

"Stop this nonsense," Luke chided himself and then he opened up the tiny, velvet box and gazed at the jewel encrusted ring inside it. Lily's ring. At least it would have been, had not a tawny owl from Ireland not swooped in and ruined the biggest moment of his life. He could still smell her perfume, Lily, the vision of beauty all gussied up in an emerald coloured gown with her auburn hair piled atop her beautiful head. They were at the annual Ministry Ball, a function that all the Malfoy children were expected to attend in support of their Mum and Dad, and it was the perfect opportunity to at long last, pop the question to the lady of his heart, Lily Potter. He'd waivered long enough, and Lily had dropped several clues, at least he thought that she had. That notion at present time was debatable, but he didn't know it at the time, so with blooming love in his heart, Luke whisked Lily Potter outside onto the terrace on that warm, moonlit night. There he would propose to the woman of his dreams. At least that's how it was supposed to go.

"_You were saying?" Lily asked as she reached up and plucked the letter from the talons of the owl. Nervous, Luke dropped his arms at his sides and took a deep breath as he raked a hand through his hair._

"_Oh, uh, Lily," he said nervously with a frog in his throat. He dropped to one knee and he reached into his jacket pocket and fingered the ring with his pinky, but when he stared up at his beloved he noticed that her attention was not on him, but rather on the letter in her hand._

"_Luke, what are you doing down there?" Lily asked but then again she turned her gaze back to the letter. "What do you think this is? It's from the Irish Quidditch team. You don't think that I actually made the roster, do you? No, that would be preposterous! There were other Chasers that tried out who were far better than me."_

_Luke let out a deflated sigh. "Why don't you go ahead and open it," he said and then he flicked his wand and Lily's opal earring that was dangling from her ear lobe, unclasped itself and dropped to the ground. "Here, you lost this," he said and he picked it up and then righted himself as he stood once again before her and dropped the earring into her outstretched hand._

"_Oh, these are my Mum's and she'd kill me if I lost them. Thanks sweetie," she said with a bright smile. "You really don't mind?" she asked and she motioned to the letter. Luke nodded and the moment was lost._

"_Gods Luke, they want me! Me? Can you believe it? You are looking at the newest Chaser of Ireland!"_

"_Congratulations," he said, but inside he wanted to die._

_~~~~~0~~~~~_

"_It's only nine months and it'll go by quick. You'll see," she had said when he kissed her at the portkey and said goodbye to Lily Potter. "You'll write to me, yeah?" she asked with bubbling exuberance and Luke nodded but he knew that nothing would ever be the same for them. Lily would find somebody new, she was beautiful and funny, bright and perky, a real catch for some lucky wizard. It just wouldn't be him, that much he was certain of._

"_Nine months," he said and he feigned a half smile for her benefit. She gave him a warm hug and a peck on the lips and then she was gone, and Luke was numb._

"Hey bro, we were in the neighborhood, so we thought we'd stop by on our way to the big shindig for Grandma and Grandpa," Scorpius announced and he was suddenly standing in Luke's meticulously kept, sterile kitchen. A smiling Persephone was at his side, still dressed in her healer robes. She had taken a job at St. Mungo's shortly after graduation and Scorpius, well Scorpius had flitted about the pro quidditch circuit, playing for various teams and making a huge name for himself in the process.

"Yeah, right. You don't know how to get to the Black Caverns, do you? That, or you've come to check on me? Afraid I might have brewed some deadly cocktail and swallowed it down in one gulp?" Luke asked and he raised his eyebrow at his older brother. Persephone shot Scorpius a sideways glance, a glance that gave her away.

"Not at all. As I said, we just happened to be in the neighborhood and we thought you might like to go with us. You know, Dad rented out the Hogwarts Express, so we could all travel together, but we need to get a move on as the train is set to depart at half past six." Luke sighed.

"Please, Scorps. I'm not daft. So is it the both of you's or just Persephone who have me on suicide watch?" Luke questioned and Scorpius shrugged.

"Luke," Persephone piped in. "We are worried about you. You haven't responded to our owls."

"Hey mate, I told her you'd be good as gold after you stewed a bit. That's how you've always been, but you are smarter than to off yourself over a girl. Plenty of fish out there, yeah?" Scorpius said and he clapped Luke on the back.

"Yeah," Luke replied, but he didn't believe it. "Just let me grab my coat."

~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~~

Jessie was three years older than Jillian, but she may as well have been ten years older because Jessie, with her striking blonde hair, crystal blue eyes and hourglass figure, not to mention her more than ample bosom, made Jillian feel invisible. Albus, all but stumbled over his own tongue which was always hanging out and on the ground whenever Jessie was in sight, an action that just added to Jillian's frustration. Oh she loved her cousin, it was hard not to, as Jessie was just too damn nice and sickly sweet at that, which drove Jillian completely nutters!

"This dress makes you look at least two, perhaps three years older," Jessie quipped as she clasped the last button on the back of Jilly's gown and then turned her around to face the mirror. Jillian's eyes went wide when she saw herself in the royal blue gown. Gone was the bushy, platinum mane that was always wild and untamed, replaced by a neat, French braid. Also gone was her tomboy physique, so much so that Jillian hardly even recognized herself. She smiled in the mirror that was until she noticed the bags of material that hung in the chest region.

"My boobs don't fill out the top. I'm flat as a board," Jilly said and she scoffed at her twelve year old self. "Are you any good with engorgement charms? We haven't learned them in school, but I think I know how to perform them."

"Well," Jessie blushed, "I don't have much use for them, so no, not really."

"Yeah, because you're stacked. Hand me my wand," she said and Jessie frowned but passed Jillian her rowan wand with a core of dragon heart string.

"You know, your boobs will grow, but big breasts aren't anything wonderful, you know? Lots of times I can't fit into clothes because mine are too big. I've thought about shrinking them a bit."

"Oh, how it must suck to be you," Jillian said with an eye roll as she pointed her wand to her chest and chanted the engorgement spell.

"I'm being serious. Besides clothes fitting, I also never know if a boy likes me for me or for my chest. I hate it."

"Yes, but boys _do_ like you, Jessie. Hoards of them!" she said thoroughly annoyed with the conversation as she turned to her side and gazed at the melons that were now perched on her chest. Her cleavage spilled out of the dress and for this, Jillian beamed.

"Albus is going to think you're cute," Jessie said smiling.

"You think so?" Jillian asked, probably a little too eagerly. "I mean, who cares. He's just a stupid jock anyways."

"Yes, I think so. Come on, I think I hear Aunt Hermione calling us."

"Hold your thestrals, Mother, we're coming in a minute!" Jilly shouted and then she huffed. "I just need to grab a sweater, or Mum will have a fit when she sees these," she said and she pointed to her enchanted tits.

~~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~~~

"Get rid of the engorgement before your father sees those," Hermione scrunched her nose, "_Things_ on your chest. It's not natural and it looks ridiculous, Jilly. You're a beautiful girl; I don't understand this constant want for bigger breasts. They will grow in good time."

"Fine, Mother!" Her enthusiasm sagged when she gazed into the mirror at her flat as a pancake self once more. "Satisfied?" she glared at Hermione.

"Yes, now that's my pretty, little girl. Draco, come and look at Jillian all dolled up. Merlin, I love you in dresses." At that Hermione flicked her wand and the sags in the loose fabric in the chest region of the dress tightened. "There, much better," Hermione said, admiring her daughter.

"Well don't get too used to this look. After Gran and Grandad's anniversary party I'm taking it off and using it to polish my Firebolt."

"You will not. You will donate it to charity."

"I don't have to. It's _my_ dress, Mum."

"Draco? Back me up here," Hermione said annoyed but Draco only chuckled and then told his little 'Jillybean' how beautiful she looked.

"Thanks Dad," Jillian smiled and then gave her father a big hug.

"Gods you just, just, sometimes Jilly, you remind me of your father so much," Hermione said and she threw her hands into the air as she mulled about the house, talking to herself under her breath as she gathered the last of their belongings for their trip to the Black Caverns.

"You know, she loves you," Draco said to his only daughter. "I love you too, and I think you are perfect in every way," he beamed with pride.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

**On the train…**

"Why is Potter and his son here?"

"Draco, shush," Hermione said when she saw Harry and Albus boarding the Hogwart's Express with the rest of the Malfoy clan. "Ginny left him last year. Don't you remember? They are on the outs."

"Again? Bloody hell, I can't keep track anymore. Why don't they just end it already?"

"Draco, stop it. You're being insensitive. Besides, they did. Ginny divorced him. Harry is really broken up about it. According to Harry, she ran off with a man who is nearly twice her age."

"Quidditch player again?"

"Muggle carnival entertainer," Hermione uttered under her breath as she opened one of the compartments and stowed her bag.

"Classic," Draco laughed.

"Don't say one word about it to Harry. Behave," Hermione chastised and she wagged her finger at him.

Hermione welcomed everyone aboard and took a head count of the guests so that she could tell the Black family house elves how many to prepare dinner for. She wasn't enthused about asking them to work at all, but with so many coming, all in preparation for Lucius and Narcissa's fortieth wedding anniversary, she hadn't the time nor the hands to do it all. If Lucius and Narcissa stuck to their plan, then they would first go skiing in the Swiss Alps and then on their actual anniversary they would, per usual, make their way to the Black caverns Manor—an ancestral vacation home of the famous Black family. According to Draco, Lucius and Narcissa loved the Black Caverns, and the quaint cottage that lay nestled deep in the forest next to the mysterious, age-old caverns. Hermione was anxious to see the place too. In all the years since she'd been married, Draco had never once taken her to his Mother's vacation home and whenever she brought up the Black Caverns and the prospect of visiting the caverns during their vacation time away from the Ministry, Draco dodged the question and then offered to go someplace else. She was as curious as ever about the Black Caverns and was literally giddy with excitement as the train pulled out of the station, bound for the highlands of Scotland, with all of their family and Harry Potter on board.

"Harry, come and sit with us," Hermione offered when she caught sight of him wandering the aisles by his lonesome, looking for a compartment.

"Why did you have to do that? I rented this train so that I could shag you silly in it. Always wanted to do that with you," Draco whispered in her ear and Hermione blushed and then gave him a playful smack in the arm.

"Look at him. He's positively heartbroken," Hermione said as the compartment door swung open and Harry plopped down in the seat across from Draco and Hermione.

"Malfoy," Harry said and he nodded to Draco. "I'm sorry to be crashing your get together. I know I don't really belong," Harry said sincerely and Hermione frowned.

"It's alright. It's not every day that your wife runs off with a circus freak."

"Draco!" Hermione snapped and her jaw fell open.

"Nah, 'Mione it's alright. He's right," Harry said, "though it is mostly your fault, Malfoy."

"My fault?" Draco said and he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I mean, remember two years ago when you suggested that the four of us go check out that Muggle carnival that came to Surrey? For old times' sake is what you said at the time. It was a date night for the lot of us."

"Yeah, what of it? That was bloody ages ago."

"That's when she met him. The Ringmaster of the Travelling Trolls Carnival. Ginny is now a fortune teller at a carnival. For five dollars she will tell you your future," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, but it's hardly Draco's fault that Ginny, er, uh—" Hermione said tongue tied.

"What she means to say, is that Hermione came home with me after that outing and we shagged like kids again, whereas your wife joined the freak show. Not really either of our faults, certainly not mine Potter."

"Draco! That was really demented, not to mention cruel."

"Yeah," Harry said deflated. Normally he'd have launched on Draco, perhaps even pulled his wand on the blond, but in his current, depressed state he was instead sporting the most morose expression upon his face. It was as if someone had let go of a balloon and all the air escaped leaving it hollow and empty as Harry sagged against the seat and turned his gaze out the train window. It broke Hermione's heart to see her dear friend in such a state. She nudged Draco and gave him a look, one that after years of marriage he had become quite accustomed to. He nodded.

"I heard that Albus is doing well in school and that Lily was picked up by the Irish National Quidditch Team," Draco spoke up, in an act that was uncharacteristically kind (upon Hermione's prodding of course). Hermione patted him on the leg and nodded her approval to her husband, but he only rolled his eyes at her.

"Yeah, they're aces. I'm proud of them both and I love them to pieces," Harry replied and his face was all aglow at the mere mention of his children.

"What about your other boy, James. What's he up to?"

"So, unusually warm weather we're having this time of year, isn't it?" Hermione interjected and she cast Draco a scathing look. James was a topic that Hermione knew caused Harry a great deal of anguish, ever since the fight they'd had four years earlier when James left the wizarding world never to return again. There was bad blood between father and son, and even though Hermione didn't really know why they'd had such a huge falling out, she knew enough not to ever bring up the topic of James, not around Harry. Even Ginny, when pressed, was closed mouth though Hermione knew that Ginny was still in touch with their eldest son. Through the years she had mentioned, however briefly that it was and in passing, that James was a banker with the World Bank. It was a cushy job, for a Muggle that is.

"Well, you're welcome to stay at Black Caverns Manor, for however long you need, though the place is quite dreary."

"Mi casa es su casa?" Harry asked but Draco shook his head in confusion. "Just something that Muggles say. Thanks Malfoy," Harry murmured. "You too 'Mione." At that, Draco slid his hand under Hermione's bum and pinched her arse. She jumped and banged her head on the overhead storage bin.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Albus, how does Jilly look?" Jessie said as she nudged the youngest Malfoy forward and into the youngest Potter's compartment. "Doesn't she look nice?"

"Yeah, Jilly you look, er—like a girl. How'd you manage that?" Albus said and Jillian balled up her fist and charged at the brown haired boy with the bright green eyes.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Luke, I have this friend at the hospital. I might be able to fix you up with her? Would you like that?" Persephone asked as the sun dipped below the horizon and night fell upon the Hogwart's Express.

"Listen to Sapphire, bro. Lily isn't all that. I mean, I saw her last time Chudley played Ireland and I mean, well—"

"Well what?" Luke fired back. He was bloody dying for any news on Lily. She had barely written to him in the four months since she'd been gone. Sure, the first couple of weeks she wrote damn near every night, but then once she adjusted to life as a professional quidditch player, the letters all but dried up. Luke spent night after night at his flat, watching out the window, waiting for the snowy owl that was Lily's to appear. It never did.

"Nothing really," Scorpius suddenly clammed up.

"I think you should tell him," Persephone urged.

"Tell me what?" Luke shouted.

"Look little bro," Scorpius said hesitantly.

"Cut with the little bro shit, Scorps, we aren't children anymore and I'm a fucking foot taller than you. Spit it out already. If something happened to Lily? I have to get off this train and go to her," Luke said, worried as he stood up and started rummaging in the overhead for his things. "I'll find the conductor and tell him to the stop the train. I'll just go back to the city and catch a portkey."

"Whoa Luke, chill out. Lily is fine," Scorpius assured and Luke stopped and turned around.

"Just say it," he replied, his hands shaking.

"She hooked up with someone. A Seeker. I'm sorry Luke. You can do loads better anyways. Lily is like her Mum, a bit of a, well, you get my drift."

Luke bolted down the small corridor passing by his Aunt Luna and Uncle Blaise's compartment as the train rattled and steamed its way down the tracks. He entered the tiny compartment that was the loo where he promptly proceeded to lose his stomach in the commode. The thought of his sweet Lily, in the arms of another man, arms that should have been his. Couple that with the fact that Lily had always told him that she was waiting for marriage before she would have sex, which left Luke with one of two choices—blue balls or callouses on his hand from wanking after every date. No, that wasn't even the worst part of Scorpius's little revelation. What was worse, was the fact that Lily didn't even have the decency to break it off with him first and that he had to be told by his pompous, playboy of a brother Scorpius who had the perfect job with the perfect wife. It was beyond a slap in the face, it was an outright betrayal. Luke vomited again before he splashed cold water over his face. His face hurt from the wall of tears that he was holding back. "Suck it up Luke. Just go out there and act like nothing was said. Talk about Dad's retirement, Grandma Narcissa and Grandpa Lucius's anniversary. Anything. Just do not cry and look like a fucking whiney arse bitch," Luke said into the mirror as he attempted to pull himself together.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

"Welcome to Black Caverns Manor. Now, a few rules first before we go inside," Draco said as he turned to address his family, which included Luna and Blaise and their entire brood. "Some of the closets contain boggarts, so if you don't want the fright of your life then I suggest that you not open the closets. For whatever demented reason, Mum and Dad are fond of them, so the house has never been cleared of boggarts."

"I can clear them for you, if you'd like," Harry Potter chimed in.

"I said they're fond of them, and it is their anniversary, so they stay, whether the rest of us like it or not. Thanks for the offer though, Potter," Draco thanked. "Onto other things. The toilets are a bit quirky, so bring your wand and don't be afraid to use the flushing spell."

"And don't forget to use the _Aromacorpus_ spell as well. A fresh smelling loo is a happy loo," Hermione interjected.

"Thanks dear," Draco drawled. "Yes, Hermione doesn't want to smell your shit and nor do I." Giggles from the diminutive witches and wizards could be heard upon that particular declaration. "Other than that, enjoy." At that, he unlocked the door as everyone filed in behind Draco. "Oh, and don't go into the woods at night unless you want to die a horrific death."

"What?" Hermione asked and her jaw hit the ground, but Draco waved his hand in dismissal as the Malfoy's and their extended family entered the mausoleum that the Black family vacation home was.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Five minutes, that's all it took before pandemonium broke out. Jillian and Albus had decided it fun to open every closet door in the place, releasing all the boggarts. There were giant tarantulas, basilisks with protruding fangs that dripped slime, not to mention the Dementors. Draco didn't have to wonder who conjured that particular fear. But it was the homeless man, toothless with the foul smelling breath that was propped on the hearth of the fireplace with a bottle of fire whiskey in his hand, that frightened Draco the most.

"Draco," Hermione said as she crouched next to a very pale Draco. "It's just a harmless old man. What's wrong?"

"He's po-po-POOR. _R-Ri-Rid_—"

"That's your biggest fear? Being poor? Oh for Merlin's sake, Draco. _Riddikulus!_" Hermione shouted as the pointed her wand at the boggart.

"Thanks Sweetpea," Draco said blushing with embarrassment.

"Jillian Malfoy, when I get my hands on you!" Hermione screeched.

Review!?

I had to age Jillian and Albus some for purposes of this story and probably Draco and Hermione should be a little older, though they did have kids when they were still quite young so it's about right (a little off perhaps), their ages I mean. I will try to follow continuity, but I have to admit that I have not gone back and reread _all_ of my Broomstick's stories in their entirety, which I probably will now that I started on this one. I did read Big Apple and Gauntlet though, perhaps a month ago and ever since then I've been spinning a plot around in my head since so many have asked me to write another story in the Broomsticks series. Once I dig into my plot, I will probably go back and give this story a better summary, but for now I want it to remain a mystery. Lots planned. This won't be a short story, not with so many story-lines involved. Oh, and in case you just found these stories, and are wondering why the summary I gave you at the end of Wizard's Gauntlet doesn't match this one, I will tell you that it is because I wrote the last story like 4 or 5 years ago. Now I will shut up LoL Let me know!


	2. Surprise

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Two

"Well thank Merlin that nobody was seriously injured after so many boggarts were let loose."

"Yeah, I'm sorry 'Mione. I gave Albus a stern talking to," Harry apologized.

"Well he didn't act alone. I'm quite certain that it was Jilly's idea," Hermione said as she collapsed on the sofa before the warm fire where the adults sipped on crystal glasses filled to the brim with elf made wine. "Mmm this is good. What vintage is this?" Hermione asked as she swirled the wine in her mouth and then swallowed.

"I raided Dad's wine cellar. It is good, though it's not something that I've ever heard of," Draco said eyeing the pricey bottle of wine.

"Well pour me another," Hermione said as she held out her glass. Draco complied as he reached for the bottle and filled his wife's glass with sparkling, red wine.

"Draco, a word?" Blaise said and he stood from his chair.

"Not if it's about work," Draco quipped, but then with a sigh he stood and made his way into the study where he closed the door, with Blaise following behind him.

"If this is about the Fae petition to join the wizarding world, when no witch or wizard is allowed into their realm at all, then I don't want to hear of it. You know my stance on that."

"Draco," Blaise said but Draco held his hand up. "No, alright. I have less than a year left of my term and we both know that this little problem is far from _little_. It would take me a bloody decade to sort it out. Decline their petition and let the next Minister of Magic figure it out."

"Draco," Blaise pleaded. "Passing the buck? I've not known you to be that sort, not in all the years that I've worked for you."

"Do you have any idea what calamity it would cause if I allowed the Fae and their bretheren mind you, because we aren't just talking about the Fae here are we? No, we are talking sprites, trolls, giants, centaurs and even the prehistoric, bloody birds of prey. Most of the wizarding world hasn't a clue that half of those ancient mystical races even exist, and the ones that they do know of, namely the giants and the mountain trolls, not to mention the ill-tempered centaurs, cause an unmitigated sense of fear upon the mere sight of them. The tentative truce that we have with the centaurs and giants is fragile at best. Their petition is a cluster fuck of a problem, and I don't trust the Faeries. There, I said it."

"I don't either," Blaise replied and Draco peered at him, dumbfounded. "Then what the fuck is this all about? Why are you questioning my decision to reject their petition?"

"Word on the street is that your brother is campaigning for them. Perhaps he intends to run for office after your term ends."

"Nathaniel? Yeah, I know about his stance. He came to me several months ago and begged me to grant their petition. I said no, just as I'm saying no to you now." Draco ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Well that's a bloody joke isn't it, Nat running for Minister? With his checkered past the _Daily Prophet_ will have a field day and it will be the demise of him in the end, and end that would be swift. He will lose his tenureship at Hogwart's, as History of Magic Professor, after the details of his past come out. I'll talk to him, and get him to dismiss this silly notion of granting the Faerie rights in the wizarding world."

"Already tried," Blaise announced. "I went to him on your behalf. I hope you don't mind," Blaise said stiffly as if waiting for the axe to fall for being as presumptuous as to not ask Draco for his permission to undertake such dealings with his brother Nathaniel.

"I should be boiling over that, yet I'm not. My head just isn't into this shit anymore. I can't go another term, so you can bloody cast an Unforgiveable curse on that idea right now if that's why you pulled me in here," Draco said and he was dead serious. He had done his time, put in his service, and as a result the wizarding world was a happy, peaceful place where witches and wizards, squibs, merchants and private citizens alike, prospered under the Ministry that Draco helped to create. Not only that, Hermione was done with it as well. They had both spent the better part of their lives in service to the Ministry and they both agreed that it was high time that they put themselves first. With Jillian in Hogwarts and both boys relatively settled in their chosen careers and pursuits, it was the perfect time for Draco and Hermione to take some much needed rest and relaxation, and to do some travelling, something that they both enjoyed immensely but hadn't had much of an opportunity to do as of yet. "Fuck the Fae. My decision stands."

"Good," Blaise said.

"Right, then if we are both in agreement then I'm going back out there, get completely pissed on my father's wine and then take my wife to bed," Draco said as he turned to leave.

"Of course, there would be only one way to be certain that the Fae's petition had a permanent stamp of disapproval from the Ministry. Thrice they can petition and they assuredly will once your term is over. Who knows if the next Minister will hold your same beliefs in regard to the Faeries. It would be a shame to see all the good that you created tossed down the proverbial toilet."

"What are you getting at, Blaise? You have an idea, spit it out."

"Your popularity is at an all-time high. It would be stupid to exit office and not take advantage of that. You, after all do deserve a lot of credit. After the war, the wizarding world was a right fine mess, but you changed all of that. It's your legacy Draco, and it's a fine one at that."

"You're buttering me up, Blaise. Why?"

"Well, it's not just me… I need you to know that. Many from the Wizengamot have expressed a desire to have another Minister of Magic that reflects the same ideals as you yourself. So…" Blaise stalled as Draco become impatient.

"Just say it, for fucksakes!"

"One of your sons'. We think that upon your exit from office that you should throw your nod to one of them, Draco."

"You want me to endorse Scorpius or Luke as the next Minister of Magic?"

"It makes sense when you think about it. There is nothing that the Prophet could say about either of your boys that isn't already public knowledge. They would also be the perfect choice to continue your legacy, and with your persuasion, we could see to it that any forthcoming Fae petitions would forever be declined."

"No," Draco said flatly. "You know the Office of Minister better than any, why don't you run? I'll endorse you. I owe you that much for all your years of service."

"Thank you for the nod, it means a lot," Blaise said and he blushed. "But Draco, we both know that I can't be Minister of Magic. I wasn't such a good bloke back in my younger days, and my wife, well you know what many think of Luna and her family. They would be completely wrong, of course, but you know that I can't run. I couldn't put Luna through the ridicule. It would be a nightmare for us and for the kids. You have a year to mentor whichever son you choose to endorse. I of course would stay on in his employment and show him the ropes, ropes that you created and ropes that _work_. The choice on which son to choose, would be up to you of course. Scorpius is well known already and a good speaker, so obviously he would be my first choice, but ultimately the choice would be yours."

"No, the choice would be theirs."

"Just think about it. Do the wizarding world a favour and just sleep on it for a bit. Alright?"

Draco swaggered from the room at that, deep in thought. He wondered what Hermione would think of Blaise's idea. He could almost hear her adamant protests in his head. He chuckled.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Alright, I checked the closets and under the bed and it's safe to come in," Scorpius announced as he ushered a wide-eyed Persephone into one of the guest bedrooms inside the cottage. She tiptoed into the room and gazed up at the high, A-frame ceiling and cringed.

"Those beams up there, did you check for bats?"

Scorpius sighed.

"No, but I'm knackered and I'm sure it's fine," he said as he began to undress. Persephone began to strip as well whilst Scorpius watched on with a sexy gleam in his eye, but then she seemed to think better of changing in front of him and Scorpius found himself shocked when she reached into her bag, lifted a cotton nightie from the bag and then retreated to the bathroom in order to change.

"What the hell? Is there a reason that you won't undress in front of me?" he asked as he stripped to his boxers and then collapsed on the bed.

"Well," she said shyly as she strode back into the room wearing what Scorpius would refer to as a 'boner killer' of a nightgown. It looked like something that his Grandmother Narcissa might wear, although even the elderly Malfoy matriarch would have better taste than to wear something so hideous and _unrevealing_. "It's nothing really. Let's just go to bed, I'm tired," she said as she crawled into bed and pulled the heavy quilts over herself, turning her back on Scorpius.

Scorpius knew his wife well enough to know that when she said _it's nothing really_, it was most definitely not nothing, and was most probably a pretty huge _Something_. "What's up?"

She rolled over to face him at that and then bit her lip. "Well, I forgot to bring the contraception potion. I thought I had it stowed in my overnight bag, but I guess I forgot to bring it."

"So what? Ah I get it," Scorpius said angrily when he put the pieces of the puzzle together. "You didn't want to undress in front of me just in case I got turned on and wanted to have sex?"

"No, it's not like that, I mean not entirely. You make it sound so thought out and cold when you say it that way."

"Well it is to me, Sapphire. You don't want to have sex with me. Why won't you admit it?"

"Because I _do _want to have sex with you!" She shot back.

"Good, me too. Lose the ugly nightie," he purred and he caged her in his arms. He dropped kisses over her face and neck and between his legs he had a raging hard on. They'd spent weeks at a time, apart and away from each other, what with his rigorous training schedule. He was only home for a fortnight before he was due to go back for the start of Quidditch season. True, he was a well-known star on and off the field, so he was able to take more long weekends and holidays then most Quidditch players, but it was never enough for Scorpius and he longed for Persephone. The worst of it was when he was able to get away from training and he'd show up unannounced and with amorous intentions towards his wife, only to find her either too exhausted from her healing work at St. Mungos, or like that night, dressed in a long, cotton nightgown that left everything to the imagination and that was more proper attire for a prepubescent girl like his little sister Jillian, not a grown woman like his wife. During those times Scorpius more often than not found himself frustrated and less than satisfied in his marriage. Something had to give.

"Scorpius, stop," Persephone said, her voice breathy and low.

"What? Stop?" he said feeling wounded as he drew back.

"Gods, I love you, and I want to have sex with you, but I'm petrified of getting pregnant."

"This, again?"

"What do you mean again?"

"Excuses. That's all I bloody get are excuses from you. We're married, Sapphire. Why is it such a big deal if we have unprotected sex? I think there is more to this. You don't like having sex with me anymore, do you?"

"What? No, I love when you make love to me. I just don't want children, Scorpius."

"Yeah, I've heard that before, but that was when we were still kids. That excuse carried weight then, but it doesn't anymore. This is the time that we should be making babies. Hell, Damien and Drew have three already!"

"Baby," Persephone said as she scooted closer to her husband, looping his arm around her neck as she crawled up to lay against his bare chest. "I had awful parents. My childhood, before I met you that is, was really terrible. I—I don't want kids and I thought you knew this."

"As in ever? You don't ever want to have kids?"

"Can't it just be you and me? I will love on you and make love to you for the rest of my life, but I don't ever want kids."

"Well I do want kids. One or two at least. Does that even matter?"

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

Luke was still reeling from Scorpius's bombshell about Lily and some bloody Seeker hooking up. He slammed the door to the attic room. He'd chosen that particular room because it was the farthest away from everyone else, though it didn't seem to be far enough away as the jubilant laughter of his parents and Aunts and Uncles rang out from the downstairs of the cottage, their sickening display of drunkenness echoing through the house. He stripped to his waist, as visions of his sweet Lily having sex with some pumpkin-headed jock, with bulging muscles and not a thought in his brain except those of a carnal nature, careened through his mind like a cyclone of agonizing torment.

He must have laid there for an hour before sleep finally found him, and then even when he did he found himself racked with nightmares about Lily, losing Lily, Lily and her nameless, faceless Seeker, Lily, Lily, Lily! He awoke gasping for air as he sat bolt upright in bed. That's when he saw her shadow and he blinked, unsure if he was awake or still asleep.

"Is someone there?" he asked. "Jillian if that's you playing some prank on me… I'm going to tell Mum that you're the one who ruined the original Rembrandt that used to hang in the formal dining room."

_Silence_.

The moonlight streamed through the small attic window, bathing the room in a soft blue light. He heard a scuffling and he shot up out of bed, but then something collided with him, bowling him over as his body hit the floor and he found himself on his back. He gazed up and her pale skin fell into view. He gaped. She was completely naked, and the luminous moon's light engulfed her completely, forming what looked like a corona around her hourglass figure. Her hair was long and dark and it cascaded down past her shoulders where it fell just below her breasts. Luke gulped as his eyes feasted over her feminine frame. She had a soft mound of pubic hair in her nether region and her legs were gloriously long and lean as his eyes roved up and down her body. All at once he felt guilty for staring at her nude form and he looked away. She approached him as she knelt down at his side and Luke was taken aback as he scooted on his bum away from the strange woman. Her eyes were piercing, even in the darkness of the room and her dark blue eyes, eyes like the sea after a squall, bore into him. That's when he noticed the soft tears that trailed down her pale cheeks.

"…more than the sun, the moon and the stars," she said in a soft whisper and then she reached out and smoothed her hand over his cheek as tears streamed down her face.

"Who are you?" Luke managed to ask through quivering lips. As if spooked by his voice, the woman stood and Luke could only watch as she opened up the wardrobe door and then disappeared behind it. Luke sprang to his feet, flicked on the light and then threw open the door to the wardrobe. Nothing. Nothing but musty clothes, a pair of ice skates with fur around the trim of the boots, and an old, dusty trunk that looked like it had not been opened in centuries. She was gone. He wondered if he imagined the whole thing as he returned to his bed, perplexed and bewildered.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Finish your sausage links, sweetie, and then you can do the dishes. By hand. I confiscated your wand," Hermione said as she schlepped trays of food to the hungry, Malfoy clan.

"Why doesn't Albus have to do the dishes? He let the boggarts out as well," Jilly shot back.

"Because Albus, isn't _my_ unruly child. You are," she said as she slid a plate of blueberry pancakes with whip cream and a cherry on top in front of Draco.

"Thanks Sweetpea," Draco said and Hermione raked a loving hand through his hair and dropped a kiss on his delectable lips before returning to the kitchen.

Harry was talking Quidditch with Draco and Scorpius, though Scorpius was unusually quiet on that morning and Hermione couldn't help but notice that he and Persephone were not sitting next to each other at breakfast. Luke was nowhere in sight, so with a sigh Hermione excused herself. She was set to mount the stairs, but that's when Luke came thundering down the steps in a whirlwind.

"What's for breakfast, I'm starved?" he asked as he took his seat at the large table, a table that Hermione assumed had been in the Black family for eons as it looked antique to her. Luke had been in a somber, sullen mood, for the better part of a few months, ever since Lily had left for Ireland, so it was good to see her son smiling again. Hermione prepared him a plate and then watched as he devoured it.

"You're in good spirits today," Scorpius acknowledged and he quirked an eyebrow at his younger brother.

"Eh, I suppose so. Can you pass the orange juice Dad? Oh, and does anybody know why there was a naked woman in my room last night?" Draco coughed and choked on his food and Hermione's jaw fell open.

"Boggart?" Harry Potter asked inquisitively.

"No," Luke said assuredly. "If it was a boggart then I'd have been afraid of her. I wasn't. Far from it. Any other ideas?"

"Ghost?" Blaise piped in.

"That's really odd, Luke. Draco, we had an intruder in the house last night," Hermione said when she noticed that her husband was staring down at his napkin in uncharacteristic fashion.

"It was probably a Caliope," Luna said cheerily. "I noticed one almost the moment that we arrived. They walk on all fours you know," she said and Blaise rolled his eyes but then patted Luna on the leg and smiled.

"Well then, it wasn't a Caliope," Luke said as he plucked a scone from the basket in front of him and proceeded to smear strawberry jam on it before popping it into his mouth. "She was bipedal," Luke said but most around the table just shot him blank stares. "She walked on two legs," he elaborated for the less intelligent. "Gorgeous legs mind you," he said and he licked his lips. Hermione frowned when she saw all the men at the table perk their ears up. Draco smirked and Hermione shot daggers at him from across the table. He let out a chuckle.

"Well I hope you got some," Scorpius said," At least then somebody would be getting some," he said snidely and Persephone dropped her eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure out that her eldest son was having marital problems. Hermione cringed. The whole table became uncomfortable at that.

"Revolting," Jillian piped in.

"I made the eggs just the way that you like them dear," Hermione said.

"Not the eggs, Mum. Luke talking about naked ladies and Scorpius talking about sex at the breakfast table. You should make them do the dishes! Now my appetite is ruined," she said as she pushed her plate away and then got up from the table, an attempt to skirt the dishes Hermione figured.

"Get back here young lady," Hermione said with a raised voice.

"You really want babies," Persephone launched and she pointed an accusatory finger at Scorpius from across the table. "Because that's what they turn into. Lippy teens," she said angrily.

"You having a go at my sister?" Scorpius fired back.

"No. I just…Oh, you, you-" Persephone said and then she leapt from the table and stomped from the kitchen.

"So how about the Irish Quidditch team this year?" Harry Potter mumbled.

"Stow it, Potter," Draco said annoyed as he tossed his napkin down and got up from the table. Hermione and Jillian were having a row in the next room.

"You going to eat that?" Luke asked when he saw the uneaten sausage link on Harry's plate.

"No mate, it's all yours," Harry said with a smile and Luke jabbed his fork into the link on Harry's plate and then popped it into his mouth.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Alright, everybody, they're here. Now you all know your places," Hermione said as she watched Narcissa and Lucius walking, arm in arm, casually up the winding drive of Black Caverns Manor with their trunks hovering in the air and trailing them at their sides. Everyone hid themselves as they prepared to surprise the happy couple on their fortieth wedding anniversary. The door creaked open as Hermione crouched behind one of the sitting chairs.

"Thank Merlin that trip is over. To think that we had to take a portkey just to get out of Switzerland."

"Yes, yes dear, the blizzard was most unfortunate. Cissy," Lucius said and he paused as he rifled through one of the trunks. "Did you pack the whip and handcuffs? I don't see them in here."

"They're there Lucius, keep looking. I do say in your old age you are blind as a bat," she chuckled as she shed her coat. Hermione's neck craned and she stared at Draco who was squatting next to her. His eyes bulged upon hearing his parents' kinky declarations.

"Ah, right you are my dear. Good, now let's get to it. I'll just cast an engorgement charm on my pecker and we will be good to go for hours," Lucius announced.

"Bloody hell, Father!" Draco stood and shouted. "Do you have to embarrass me in front of my kids like that?"

"Surprise?" Hermione said with a scrunched up nose as she casually stood from behind the chair. At that everyone stood and shouted _Surprise_. The looks on Lucius and Narcissa's faces were priceless as four eyebrows flew up all at once.

"Even my Grandparents are getting some," Scorpius announced and he scoffed.

Review!?


	3. The Mountain Troll

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Three

"Let's talk," Draco said and he pulled both young men aside as he sat down on the creaky porch swing and sipped on a piping hot cup of tea. It was autumn and the wind whipped through the trees as colorful leaves danced on the breeze.

"What's up Dad?" Scorpius asked curiously.

"Looks serious whatever it is," Luke commented.

"Yeah, he does look serious."

"You and Mum aren't having another baby, are you, because that would just be embarrassing at your age," Luke said and Draco's eyes went wide.

"No, it's nothing like that," he replied. "I'm not that old though. Fuck, why does everyone keep insinuating that I'm old."

"You got something against babies, Luke?" Scorpius said and he raised and accusatory eyebrow at his brother.

"Scorps, everyone knows about the fight you had last night with your wife. The walls are thin, but don't take your shit out on me, I have enough shit of my own to deal with," Luke said.

"Yeah, poor Luke with the broken heart. I've had about enough of that sob story," Scorpius drawled. "Everyone is expected to pamper the poor sod Luke and walk on eggshells around him for fear of upsetting him."

"Fuck you, I don't have to stand here and take this," Luke said through gritted teeth as he turned to leave.

"Cut the fucking shit, both of you. Now!" Draco shouted. Scorpius scowled at that and Luke folded his arms and ground his jaw, staring daggers at his older brother. "Now, if you are both done acting like fucking idiots I have something I'd like to ask you both, and I want an honest answer."

"Sorry Dad," Luke said thoughtfully.

"Suck up," Scorpius mumbled under his breath.

"I said knock it off." Draco cleared his throat at that. "As you both are aware my term as Minister of Magic is coming to a close. I've been asked to endorse a new Minister. With that in mind, I wondered if one or both of you had any thoughts about throwing your hat into the political ring?"

"Haha, are you joking? You couldn't pay me to work for the Ministry," Scorpius bit out almost immediately.

"Scorpius, you can't play Quidditch forever. Have you thought about what you will do after Quidditch?" Draco asked seriously.

"Hmm, I figured I'd get back to my music. Write a few songs. Beyond that I dunno' really. I suppose I figured I'd be a Dad and throw my attentions towards a family, though that doesn't appear to be my current trajectory," Scorpius said with a sour look upon his face.

"I'm sorry, son. Persephone is a good woman though. Give her time, perhaps she will come around to your way of thinking," Draco said and he patted his son on the back. "Luke? Your thoughts on perhaps becoming the next Minister of Magic?"

"Dad," Luke said with a pause, "I completely respect the office that you hold, and I know what a daunting job and drain that it is on you. I understand all the sacrifices that both you and Mum have made and I also know that a lot of good can be done in the wizarding world by taking on such an important role. However," Luke said, "It's not for me. I belong in the potions lab."

"Fucking great. So neither of you ever had aspirations of following in your father's footsteps?" Draco asked and he let out a deflated sigh.

"Dad, those are some big shoes to fill," Scorpius quipped. "I could never fill them. I'm guessing that Luke feels the same way, which is why it never occurred to either of us to follow in your footsteps."

"As much as I hate to admit when Scorpius is right, on this occasion, the stupid prat is correct. I never considered it, but if you're asking me then my answer would have to be no. I'm sorry father."

"There you are," Hermione said as she bounced through the door. "I thought we could take a stroll…perhaps show me the caverns?" she said with a sly smile playing over her face and Draco stood and took his wife by the hand.

"You're not going to let me rest until I do, so let's get this over with," Draco said and Hermione squealed with excitement as she they set off on foot into the Black Caverns, waving goodbye to their sons as they went.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Get it out, get it out!" Hermione screeched when she heard the flapping in her ears. The bat was tangled in her bushy mane and she screamed repeatedly as her husband attempted to pry it loose.

"Hold still already," he scolded but Hermione was in a panic.

"This is why I don't like caves," Draco said and the bat flapped its wings as it took flight, leaving his wife's hair in a state of an unkempt nest.

"Gods, that was frightening. Why on earth do your parents like it here so much? I mean boggarts and bats, and strange naked people roaming the house after dark."

"Hey, you won't get any disagreement from me. I bloody hated coming here as a child. However, there is one feature of this place that I think you will find fascinating. Come on, follow me and stay close. It gets very dark up ahead," Draco said as he wrapped his arm around his wife and descended deeper into the caverns. "Lumos," he chanted and they were bathed in white light.

"How much farther, Dragon? This place is creepy."

"Not far. It's just around that bend. Watch your step, the rocks are slick," he said as they trod together through the blackness.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Oh my," she said and she stopped and gaped when they rounded the turn. "It's beautiful," she said and her eyes welled with tears. It was beyond beautiful, it was breathtaking, she thought to herself as she beheld the sinkhole in the ceiling of the cave, where golden streams of sunlight fell against the stalagmites belo, casting a prism like effect over the cave floor beneath the hole.

"It gets better. Come on," he said and pulled her with him as he walked down what appeared to be carved out steps in the rock. Hermione's hands flew to her face when she saw a pool of lavender colored water at the bottom of the steps. It was a beautiful sight. She'd never seen purple water before.

"Get undressed," Draco said and he wagged his eyebrows as he began to unbutton his own shirt.

"What? Uh, I don't know about this," she said and she shook her head.

"Well I do know about this. Trust me," he said and she sighed, but then did as her loving husband asked as she peeled off her shirt and then her bra, that followed by her jeans.

"It's an underground hot spring," he said as he took her by the hand and stepped into the lavender waters. Hermione was nervous, but all doubt was erased when she plunged into the water. The moment the warm water hit her skin she felt tingles, everywhere.

"Draco, what's happening to me? My whole body is tingling."

"I know, and it's about to get better," he said with a sexy smirk as his lips crashed down over hers.

"You like that you sexy witch?" he said as their bodies crashed together.

"Yes, oh oh oh," she said as her first orgasm hit her. She went limp in Draco's arms as he bucked inside her, his cock buried to the hilt inside her warm, wet cave. The waters were invigorating and Draco lasted longer than she'd ever remembered before as they fucked for what felt like hours in the hot spring.

"Going to come," he bit out as he rammed his hardness inside her.

"I love you so much," she wailed as her third orgasm crashed down over her in a tidal wave of bliss. Their moans were in unison as Draco shot his seed inside her.

"I love you too Sweetpea," he said through husky breaths and then his tongue was once again in her mouth as they wrapped tight arms around one another and snogged.

"Oh dear, it seems that they got here before us," she heard Narcissa say and Hermione broke off their kiss.

"Oh umm," she said as a blush crept over her cheeks.

"Was just showing Hermione the Black Caverns," Draco said.

"We see that. Well enjoy your long walk back to the cottage," Narcissa said with a smirk as she turned to Lucius and nodded.

"Yes Draco, do be careful not to catch cold," he said and then both Draco and Hermione's jaws fell open when they saw the elderly Malfoys reach down and scoop up their clothes. They waved goodbye at that.

"Blast. I'll hex the both of you's for this!" Draco shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber.

"Draco, what are we going to do?" Hermione asked.

"Well it appears that whatever we will do, we will be doing it naked," he said with a chuckle.

"It would seem so," she said and then she too laughed.

"Since we're here, and since I don't relish getting out just yet, perhaps we should have another go?" he said, his voice oozing sex. Hermione nodded and wrapped her loving arms around his neck as she straddled her man.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"I'm bored," Albus said as he picked up a rock and whizzed it through the trees. "Not enough grass here to even get a good game of Quidditch going."

"Is that all you care about?" Jillian asked and she rolled her eyes.

"No. I care about lots of things."

"Oh yeah, like what? Because all you ever talk about is Quidditch, as if it's the end all _be_ all. I mean, I enjoy a good game of Quidditch myself, but there are other things in life."

"Well, I think about being an Auror."

"You, an Auror? O…K," Jillian said snidely.

"My Dad is an Auror and the Headmaster of a prestigious University. I can do whatever I want when I grow up because I'm a Potter."

"Gods you're so stuck up."

"Alright, well what about you? What do you want to be when you grow up, Jillybean," Albus mocked.

"Don't alright. I want to be the Minister of Magic," Jillian said quite seriously.

"Like your Dad? Now there's an original idea."

"Shut up, Albus. You just said that you want to be an Auror, and your Dad _is_ an Auror, whereas I have actual reasons why I want to be the Minister of Magic," she said growing forever annoyed with the boy.

"Well you can't be the Minister of Magic," Albus said as a matter of fact.

"Oh, and why not?"

"Because you're a girl. Only a wizard can be the Minister of Magic. Perhaps though, if you cut off that frizzy hair and wore boy's clothes though, you could pass for a wizard, otherwise you're screwed," he said and then he laughed as if pleased with his cutting remarks.

"I hate you," Jillian said as tears welled in her eyes. "If I had my wand, I'd cast an Unforgiveable on you Albus Potter," she said and then she turned and ran. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she took flight into the woods. She ran and ran until she could run no more.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Don't be too hard on them, Dragon. At least they left our clothes at the mouth of the cave. No harm done really," Hermione said as she prepared dinner.

"Yeah well just wait until they get into bed tonight, they are in for a nasty surprise," Draco said wickedly.

"Bed wetting charm?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Damn, how do you do that?" Draco asked and Hermione smiled.

"I just know you and how your evil mind works," she said and she kissed him on the cheek.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

When everyone sat down to eat, Hermione had the strange feeling that something was missing as she took her seat next to Draco and then proceeded to tap her wand on her nose, trying to figure out exactly what it was that was missing.

"Everything looks wonderful Sweetpea, stop stewing and eat," Draco said to her as he dug into the pot-roast and potatoes.

"Merlin, now I know what's missing. It's Jillian," Hermione said. "Jilly," Hermione called, but when her young daughter did not appear for dinner she began to worry. "Has anyone seen her?"

"Albus, have you seen Jillian?" Harry asked as he arched an accusatory eyebrow at his son.

"Ages ago," the boy said as he scooped a bite of peas into his mouth.

"And where did you see her Albus?" Harry asked impatiently. "Hermione made a wonderful dinner, that none of us are eating because she doesn't know where her daughter is. Now, out with it young man."

"She got upset over something stupid and she ran into the forest, but that was hours ago."

"What stupid thing did you say to her, Albus?" Hermione asked.

"She said when she grows up that she wants to be the Minister of Magic."

"She did, did she?" Draco said with surprise and he cast both Luke and Scorpius a victorious smile. "And why is that stupid?" Draco asked as he narrowed his eyes on the boy.

"Because she's a girl and only a wizard like you, Mr. Malfoy, can be the Minister of Magic."

"Draco," Hermione said with a worried look on her face. "It's getting dark outside."

"Potter, I hope you will whip his arse for saying such a stupid thing to _my_ daughter. Fuck," Draco cursed as he sprang from the table.

"Draco, I'll help you find her," Harry said as he too stood from the table and cast a disappointed look to his son, whose head was hung low. Scorpius,Luke and even Lucius also stood as all the men filed out the door in record speed. Hermione gripped her wand in her hand and took off behind them.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Merlin, I found you," Draco said with relief when he found his little girl sitting cross legged on the rickety bridge that separated the Black family land and the dense black woods that lay on the other side of the bridge. Fae land. Land that any and all witches and wizards were forbidden to step foot into. It gave Draco chills just seeing his daughter sitting so close to the border of the wizarding world and the Faerie realm. While it wasn't wide practice for the Fae to cross over those invisible boundaries, it surely wasn't smart to test fate. "Jilly, you had everyone worried," Draco said as he stood over his daughter. "Look at me," he ordered but the girl refused to look up. She sniffled and Draco's heart broke when he realized that she was crying. He relaxed and sat down next to the girl where he smoothed a gentle hand over her back and rubbed. She sunk into his chest where she wailed, her tears spilling out and wetting his shirt.

"He said I look like a boy and that I can never be the Minister of Magic."

"I know, shhh," Draco soothed. "But he's just a little twat, Jilly. Why didn't you just tell him that he's a stupid sod and then hex him good?"

"Because Mum took my wand," Jillian said and she gazed up at Draco with red eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Alright, well it's getting dark, and these woods are not a nice place after dark. Jilly," Draco said and he raised her chin with his finger, forcing her to look at him. "You do not look like a boy. In a year you are going to hit puberty and when you do, you are going to turn into a swan. My swan. I am going to have to curse all the boys who come near you when that happens, and it will happen. So far as being Minister of Magic, let me tell you how proud of you I am, and also assure you that there is no such archaic law preventing a witch from becoming Minister, but even if there was, I would change that law. Now, if I could just place an aging charm on you, then it would solve a whole lot of my problems," Draco joked when he thought about Blaise's proposition.

"You're proud of me?" she said she stared up and smiled as she wiped her tears away with the back of her wrist.

"Exceedingly proud. You're a smart and beautiful witch, Jillybean."

"Mum is going to throttle me for running off, isn't she?"

"Probably. But first she will kiss and hug you, and then the throttling," Draco said and he winked. Jillian laughed through her sniffles.

That's when it happened and the whole bridge shook. Jillian screamed and clutched onto her father for dear life. Draco raised his wand on the fully grown mountain troll and shouted.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Did it work? His chest is still moving," Jillian said, panicked her eyes wide with fear.

"It worked, at least partially." The bridge creaked and one of the planks fell to the lavender waters of the raging river below. Draco became nervous. The mountain troll was partially petrified, but his massive body was covering the path, which was their only way off the bridge and back to the cottage. "Look Jilly, I need you to go. Now. Before he wakes up. Quickly," Draco said as another part of the bridge gave way.

"But what about you?" Jillian asked.

"I'm right behind you. Now go," he ordered. Draco watched as his daughter tiptoed over the great beast as he prayed to Merlin that the spell would last long enough for her to make it to safety. Just in case, he had his wand out, prepared to do whatever he had to save his daughter.

"I made it!" Jilly waved to him from the other side. "Now you, Dad," she said and Draco started forward. That is when things went from bad to worse. The spell wore off and Draco looked down into the ferocious mouth of the mountain troll, and he gulped as he pointed his wand at the great beast. It was too late though and Draco was tossed through the air like a quaffle, his body landing in the raging river that led into the realm of the Fae.

"Noooooooooo! Daddy!" Jillian shrieked as she watched her father's head bob under the water. Tears burst from her eyes as his limp body roared down the rapids of the river. "Help!" she shouted as loud as she could.

Review!?


	4. The Witch

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Four

Hermione bolted when she heard her panicked cries for help.

"Don't you touch my baby," she shouted as she sprinted in the direction by which she heard her voice.

"It's alright, I've got her," she heard Harry say and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jillian, Merlin you gave me the fright of my life," Hermione said as she threw her arms around her daughter and peppered her face with kisses. It was almost completely dark, so Hermione didn't notice it right off and Jillian was crying such hard, inconsolable tears so much so that nobody could hear over the little girl anyways.

"What's wrong, she alright?" Luke and Scorpius said when they arrived on the scene that followed by Lucius who was panting and out of breath.

"Jillian," Hermione said and she gripped the girl by the arms and gave her a light shake. "Honey, we have you, everything is alright now. Draco, say something to her," Hermione said and she turned, expecting to see her husband.

"It's all my fault," Jilly sobbed. "Mum, it's all my fault!"

"What's your fault baby? You didn't do anything that wrong," Hermione consoled. "Draco?" she shouted but there was no response. "Luke, Scorpius, go and find your father."

"'Mione," Harry Potter said and Hermione craned her neck. "This is the work of a mountain troll."

"No," Lucius wailed. "The bridge is gone. The bridge that was here has broken through. My son," Lucius wept.

"He saved me and now he's gone," Jilly cried and she pointed downstream.

"Oh Gods," Hermione's jaw hit the floor and then she was running again. "Draco," she shouted as tears burst from her eyes. All along the banks of the river she ran, with the luminous light from her wand to guide the way.

"'Mione, we're never going to find him tonight. It's just too dark," Harry said, exhausted and out of breath when he finally caught up to the brunette.

"He's here, somewhere. I'll not just leave him out here. He's probably injured," she said with frantic worry and in a mild state of shock.

"Is he dead?" Scorpius said, his eyes as wide as saucers. "Is Dad dead?" he was shaking terribly.

"He's not dead. Never say that again!" Hermione said angrily but when Scorpius continued Hermione's hand flew and she slapped her eldest son hard across the face. "Draco is not dead. I won't hear any talk of that ever again! Luke take your brother and your sister back to the cottage. Harry, we have to split up. Lucius, are you in or are you out?"

"I'm in," Lucius said but even in the dark of night Hermione could see the trail of tears that trickled down the aging wizard's face.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"He's dead. It's been two days and not Mum, Grandpa or all of the Aurors can find him. He's dead," Scorpius said and he grimaced as he sat on the couch next to Persephone.

"I'm so sorry," Persephone wept silently.

"Will you please shut it? Just shut it Scorpius, or I'll shut it for you!" Luke bit out.

"What? You know it's true. You know it!"

"No I bloody don't," Luke shook his head vehemently.

"Scorpius Malfoy, shut your mouth this instant or I will _Silencio_ you, and I don't care that you're my grandson," Narcissa said as she blew her nose into a tissue, her eyes swollen and red. "Draco is not dead. I'm his mother. I would know such things. I would feel it. My son, your father is alive, I say."

~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

He opened his eyes and found himself staring up at magenta skies as he gasped for air. He rolled over on his side, and spat water from his lungs as he coughed and sputtered on the soggy banks of the river. His leg was throbbing, and when he looked down he cringed at the sight of his leg. His pants were torn and dark red blood oozed from a gaping wound just above his knee. How long he had lain there he hadn't a clue. He moved to stand, but it was no use, the leg was completely numb and worthless, so he scooted on his belly to a nearby fallen log where he propped himself up against it.

"Where's my god damn wand," he bit out as he began a frantic search of his pockets only to come up empty in his pursuit. That's when he saw something move between the trees and he scanned the tree line at the edge of the river. At first he thought he was dreaming, when he saw the naked woman with the jet black hair emerge from the forest, but then when she knelt in front of him and laid her delicate hands over his wound and he felt her touch, he knew that she was real. "Please don't, it hurts," he grimaced when she applied pressure to his wound, but she paid him no mind and she slapped his hand away when he tried to stop her. Her face contorted with pain and Draco drew concerned, but then almost as if by a miracle the pain in his throbbing leg began to subside. It was almost as if the wood nymph was taking on the pain from his wound. He gaped at his leg and his eyes went wide when he watched the wound heal itself as it faded away, leaving only a red, blotchy mark where the gash once was. The woman then ran to the river where she heaved her guts out as Draco watched in curious awe.

"You shouldn't be here. They are searching for you," she finally said as she lifted her head and stared at him. "You must leave this realm. It is not safe for you to be here."

"Where am I? How do I get back?" he asked, and his mind was flooded with images of the mountain troll and then of himself being whisked away as the currents sucked him under. "Did you save me? Is that how I am alive?"

"You must go. Now. They are coming for you. Go," she said and she pointed upstream. "Go to the moose tree, it is the way out and the only way out. Hurry, they are coming!" she said and then Draco watched as the woman walked straight into a tree and disappeared inside it. He shook his head in disbelief.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"'Mione, myself and the other Aurors think that Draco somehow slipped into the Fae realm," Harry Potter said and he laid a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"That's impossible. You and I both saw what happened when we tried to enter their territory. We were forced back, thrown back," Hermione said and she rubbed her scabbed over elbow and remembered how much trying to trespass into the realm of the Fae hurt.

"It's the only answer, unless—" Harry clamped his mouth shut though as if he thought better of what he was about to say.

"Unless what? Say it, Harry."

"No. He just somehow slipped into the Fae realm. That has to be it."

"Harry, tell me now! If you have an idea about what happened to my husband, whom I love more than life itself, then I want to hear it."

"Alright," Harry sighed, defeated. "Hermione, I hate to bring this up but there is a possibility, however small that it is, that the mountain troll ate—No, I won't say it," Harry said and he again clamped his mouth shut and bit his lip.

"Oh Gods, you think Draco was eaten alive?" Hermione said and she threw herself down on the couch inside the cottage and sobbed.

"I don't think that. I just said that it's a possibility. As an Auror we have to think of things like that," Harry said in a feeble attempt to sooth her cries.

"I can't believe you bloody said that to my Mum. What in the fuck is wrong with you?" Luke asked as he sauntered into the room and sat down next to his Mum. She threw her arms around his neck and wept into his chest. "Dad is alive and we will find him, or he will find us. Don't listen to his shit, or anyone else's Mum. We just have to be strong."

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

"I don't want to go with you," Jillian said and she shoved Scorpius hard in the ribs.

"Look, I don't particularly want to take you with me, but Mum can't deal with you right now and break ends tomorrow, so you have to get back to school. I'm to take you to the platform. You're going with us whether you like it or not," Scorpius said and he hauled his little sister into his arms, tossing her over his shoulder as Persephone trailed behind them with their bags.

"Yeah, really great parenting there," Sapphire said under her breath and Scorpius whirled on her, causing Jillian's legs to kick Persephone in the face.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. Look, I just lost my Dad, and I really don't need to hear any shit from anybody." At that he set Jillian down and the three of them walked down the long drive leading away from the Black Caverns. He hoped to never see the bloody place again. It contained nothing but bad memories for him.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Draco ran through the trees when he heard their menacing whispers. The forest floor was crawling with them and Draco stepped on more than one as he plowed through the dense trees, swatting branches from his face as he went. "What's a fucking moose tree," he shouted but then his progress was impeded when a giant hand plucked him up.

"That's the moose tree," a diminutive voice said and Draco looked down from his perch in the ruddy mitts of a giant to see the hordes of Faeries, all carrying clubs and wearing spiteful expressions on their faces as they pounded their fists into the air and shouted, "Death to the Minister of Magic." Sure enough, there in the middle of the wood there was a tree that had a knot and two trunks that indeed did look like a moose. He had almost made it, he thought to himself.

"Put me down you fucking oaf," Draco said when the giant began to prod him with his pudgy finger and then suddenly he was falling. He landed on a patch of mossy earth and he tried in vain to scramble to his feet but the nasty Fae who were no bigger than a blade of grass, with their pointy noses and hats and their clubs began to chant louder as their clubs beat down upon Draco's head.

"Fuckers, I'll step on the lot of you when I get up," he cursed as he tossed faerie after faerie through the air, plucking them off his hair and face and then launching them like a catapult into the air.

"Death to the Minister of Magic! Kill him, kill him. Let's kill him," they said and Draco grew furious.

"Stop," something said from above and Draco looked up to see the dark wings of a prehistoric bird. It's wingspan was gargantuan and it landed next to his head. "I say you let me peck out his eyes. I want those eyes, my babies are hungry."

"No, we found him first, he's ours," one of the faeries said.

"I daresay that he would in fact make a tasty supper," a centaur who had undoubtedly heard the din and came to see what all the fuss was about said as he sauntered onto the scene.

"You can't have him, he's ours!"

"I say that you are no match for a Nightingale," the bird of prey squawked.

"None of you are any match for the herd," the centaur said.

"I wan- eat him," the giant piped in and then a riot of angry voices echoed through the woods as Draco laid there and was forced to bear witness to the war over whoever had the right to kill and or eat him.

"This is a matter for the witch to decide," the prehistoric bird finally said when she apparently became tired of the arguing.

"Yeah, I second that. Take me to the witch," Draco bit out. He found it odd that there should be a witch in the Fae realm, but he welcomed the idea of being brought to a witch. At least it was one of his kind, he thought to himself and then he was once again hauled into the paw of the giant.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

By day, Luke searched the Black Caverns for his father, and by night he comforted his mother and formed battle plans on where next to search for his lost father. It had all worn on him though, and so he found himself standing at the base of a great redwood when it finally happened. He broke down and cried. It was the first time he'd done so. At least he was alone so that nobody had to see his childish fit of tears, he said to himself. If his mother were to see him crying then she herself would break down again.

"…Tricks," she said and Luke whirled around to see the woman, the one from his bedroom, only this time she was wearing a thick, mossy coat that draped around her body and fell below her knees.

"You—" he said and wiped his tears away. "You're the woman from my room."

"Tricks," she said again.

"Tricks? What tricks?"

"They will use their magic…Tricks…It's false magic. I have seen it."

"Wait!" Luke said when the woman turned to leave. He followed her, running after her on foot, but then just as before, she disappeared from sight in an instant.

"Luke," the familiar voice of an angel said and Luke stopped dead in his tracks. "I heard about your father. I had to come," Lily Potter said and then Luke felt her arms around his back and she nuzzled her head against him. He stiffened.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Well, well if it isn't the Minister of Magic, Draco Malfoy, in the flesh," the witch said and she curled her lip into a sneer as she turned to face Draco. He gasped when he saw her face. She was not like _him_. No, she appeared to be some sort of a half breed, with a beak for a nose and eyes like an owl, round and big. "Does my appearance frighten you?" she asked as she toiled over a foul smelling cauldron.

"No," Draco lied.

"Almost believable. Oh you are good aren't you? But then you would have to be wouldn't you? All the lies you must tell on a daily basis to the very people who support you."

"I didn't do anything. Let me go, and I will forget everything."

"Well I can't do that, can I? No, you see the Fae and the Nightingales, the Giants and even the Centaurs want to kill you. They trust me to make the decision on who gets which parts of you," she said and then she cackled.

"Look, there was an accident. I didn't mean to enter this realm. I can leave and you can tell them whatever it is that you want. Say that you ate me when I tried to disarm you. I don't care what you fucking say, but let me go. I have a wife and a family who needs me, who are probably worried sick about me," Draco plead.

"Alright, you can go," she said and Draco's spirits were immediately lifted. "Do you take me for stupid?" the witch then said and she grabbed him by his collar with her gnarled hand. Her breath was putrid and Draco turned away from her which only made her cackle louder. "Gry, get in here," she said and suddenly a goblin appeared before them. "Did you 'ere him? He wants to go. What do you think of that? He wants to go. I have a wife and a family, please let me go," the witch cackled louder and louder. "Go on, tell him Gry."

"Nobody leaves the realm of the Fae, by decree of the Minister of Magic. We are stuck here. Forever," Gry said dryly.

"Fuck," Draco shouted and he knew in that moment that he was truly and utterly, _fucked._

Review!?

To the reviewer who asked about The Ravenclaw Affair sequel. Yes, the first one is finished, and yes I will write the sequel. Right now though I am into writing this story. Hope you enjoy, let me know!


	5. The Ghost

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Five

His palms began to sweat and his heart began to race as he slowly turned around to see Lily Potter, the girl who'd stolen his heart and then trampled all over it. She was wearing a pair of denim jeans and a maroon coloured sweater and her hair fell in long, auburn sheets, draping over her bosom. She looked beautiful and Luke wanted to take her in his arms and hug her and never let her go. He wanted to so badly, and yet he couldn't as his temper flared. "Luke, say something. I can't imagine what you're going through. If it were my Dad I—"

"How could you do it?" Luke bit out.

"What?" she said stunned and she drew back from him.

"You and this Seeker. Scorpius told me," Luke said and he pointed an accusatory finger at the redhead. She immediately dropped her gaze and began to fidget with her fingers, too afraid to look up at him. The guilt was written all over her face. "Not even going to deny it?"

"No. Luke, I'm sorry. I know that doesn't help to hear, but I am."

"You're right, it doesn't," he said and he brushed past her, turning his back on her. He couldn't stand to look at her, because when he did all he saw was the mirror reflection of his pain staring back at him. "So you slept with him?"

"Only once," she mumbled.

"Only once? That's your fucking answer to me? We are virgins Lily, you and me. At least we were, now apparently I am the only stupid sod who kept that promise. What happened to your lofty morals? No Luke, as much as I'd love to fuck your brains out right now, I can't because I'm saving myself for marriage. Meantime, I'm staring at the ceiling debating upon whether to wank myself to the image of you under me, that, or should I just take a cold shower? There were far too many cold showers, Lily. How could you do this to me?" he said and his eyes welled with tears.

"It just happened, alright? I was homesick, he was there, he was lonely, so was I. We didn't think about it, it just happened! I still love you. Don't you love me back?" she said and then she was crying.

"You love me? You love me? Was it love when you slept with this nameless, faceless Seeker not ever thinking about the ramifications of your actions or how it might be a bit like stabbing me in the chest with a dagger?"

"We were drunk. Alright?"

"Alright? No, it's hardly alright. Since when do you drink anyway?"

"Since, a few months ago. Yeah, perfect Luke, doesn't drink, always wears pressed, fine clothes and who never, ever makes one little mistake. I'm not you! Don't you see? I play Quidditch and I drink after a good match sometimes and I do make mistakes from time to time."

"A mistake is when you put Wolfsbane into your cauldron when the recipe called for two measures of Valerian Sprigs, that's a mistake!" Luke shouted. "What a mistake is not, is getting high on fire whiskey and letting some arrogant, brainless prick stick his cock into the holiest of holies. That's not a fucking mistake! There is a name for what that is, do you know what that is?"

"Well I'm sure you're going to tell me, Mr. Know-It-All."

"Ya' know, I don't need this. I'm due to meet my Mum so that we can find my Dad. Just, leave me alone. Go back to your Seeker and your Quidditch. I can't believe that I was going to ask you to marry me."

"You were going to propose?" Lily said hopefully.

~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

She was sitting in Transfiguration when the memories exploded like a stick of dynamite in her brain. _I'm so proud of you_, he had said and Jillian was happy, so unbelievably happy. Her father meant _everything_ to her, and then in an instant everything changed and he was snatched away from her. Her face hurt so fucking bad from holding back the river of tears that she didn't think that she could do it any longer. That's when she stood and bolted from the classroom, ignoring the Professor's pleas for her to return to her seat. She threw open the door to a broom closet and there she barricaded herself in as she collapsed on the dirty floor and sobbed.

"Jillian," he said and then he closed the door of the closet and sat down next to her. "Are you alright?" Albus said and he slinked an arm around her shoulders.

"Leave me alone. Can't I get a second alone?"

"Yeah, it's just…Jilly, I feel terrible about what happened. It's my fault. If I hadn't of said those stupid things to you, then you wouldn't have run off and your Dad wouldn't have had to go after you."

"Well they were stupid things to say!" she snapped as she untucked her face from her arms and stared at the messy haired boy.

"I know they were. I think you'll make a right, fine Minister one day."

"You do not," Jillian said sulking.

"I do. I swear it."

"You still said that I looked like a boy."

"Yeah, but I only said that because I like you."

"Liar. You like my cousin Jessie."

"Jessie is pretty and all, but she's too nice."

"Oh so what does that make me, mean?"

"It makes you fun, and yes sometimes you are mean, but so am I. In a lot of ways we are alike. I mean both our Dads are pretty famous. Sometimes I can't stand the attention he gets so much so that I just want to, well you know-"

"Break something?" Jillian asked.

"Yeah, or prank somebody. You're the only one who gets that. I'm sorry for what I said though. I was still stewing over the time you said that my Mum was a Carney who entertains Muggles."

"I'm sorry Albus. I shouldn't have said that. I miss my Dad!" Jillian wailed and Albus wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.

"I know. I miss my Mum. At least your Dad didn't _want_ to leave you. My Mum walked out on me."

"Prove it," Jillian said.

"Prove what?"

"Prove you don't think I look like a boy. Kiss me," she said and she turned to face him. He hesitated, blinked his eyes twice, and then kissed her while butterflies swam in her stomach.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Scorpius, I'm glad that you could make it," Blaise Zabini said as he shook his hand and welcomed him into his home.

"Yeah, what's this about? You told me not to mention our meeting to my Mum."

"And there is good reason for that. I don't want her bothered with all of this Ministry business what with all she's been through. Before I go on, I need to tell you that Draco was my closest friend. He was like a brother to me, so whilst I know that you are undoubtedly struggling during this hard time, just know that I am as well. I need you to know this, because what I'm about to say may sound crass in light of your father's disappearance."

"You mean his death?" Scorpius asked. "Nobody in my family wants to admit that he is dead. Hell, I hate losing my father and it hurts so much, but ignoring the facts is not helping matters. Mum talks as if he's going to walk through the door and Luke, well he's just as much in denial. None of its good for my sister. She's the one who saw it all go down, and I'm pretty sure that she thinks him dead even if she won't talk about it," Scorpius said and he plopped down in one of the leather sitting chairs in Blaise's library.

"Well, oddly enough that is why I called you here. While the official Ministry position is that Draco has gone missing, I expect that to change. That is what worries me. As the Aurors come up empty the inevitable decision by the Ministry is ultimately going to be that Draco is in fact dead. When that happens they will be forced to declare a stand in, one who would rule up until which time a new election for Minister would be held."

"I see. Who is the stand in? It's you, right?" Scorpius asked naively.

"No, actually. It's you."

"What?"

"Well, it could be. I am authorized as Draco's assistant to put his seal of approval in naming his stand in. If the Ministry declares him dead though, any power that Draco and by default, myself, has at present time will dry up immediately."

"So are you asking me to be Minister of Magic in the event that they declare my father dead?"

"Yes."

"My Dad did ask me if I had any interest in the job, though I said no. He also asked Luke though. Do you think that he would want me to be his stand in?"

"I do. I wouldn't ask this of you if I wasn't certain that Draco would approve."

"Well, can I think about it?"

"No, Scorpius. As I said, if Draco is declared dead then my hands are tied. It's now or never."

"But I don't know the first thing about being the Minister of Magic," Scorpius said feeling overwhelmed.

"I doubt that. You are good in front of people, at ease talking to reporters as you have to do a lot in your current position on the pro Quidditch circuit. I think you're a natural, something I expressed to Draco recently. The rest of it I can help you with."

"If I do this, how long would I have to prepare for something like this?"

"I will stall off the Ministry as long as I can, and keep running things here as if Draco were doing them, but we need a stand in, it's of vital importance. Will you do it?"

"Yeah, I'd rather you stall them off for a good long while though. I don't want to take my father's job away from him. I mean, what if I am wrong, and Mum and Luke are right and he's alive?"

"That's why I intend to stall for as long as I can," Blaise said.

"Aright, I'll do it in that case."

Blaise produced the official Ministry stamp from the office of the Minister of Magic, Draco's stamp of approval, and Scorpius signed the parchment making him Draco's temporary stand in should he ever be declared dead Scorpius would finish out his term. Scorpius gulped at the magnitude of what he'd just committed himself to.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Hermione walked the halls of Hogwart's with her youngest son at her side. Luke had remained unusually quiet, but Hermione respected his privacy since she too was deep in thought and struggling with her own grief over Draco's disappearance. Nathaniel had agreed to meet with them on that day, and while there, Hermione also intended to check in on her daughter to make sure that she was coping. The distance from Jillian, especially during such trying times broke Hermione's heart, but she knew that the best place for her was at school, where she could at least retain some sort of normalcy during chaotic, family times.

"Mum, why are we meeting Uncle Nat out here?" Luke chimed in as they made their way down the embankment to the Black Lake.

"Your Uncle is quite friendly with one of the centaurs that live in the Forbidden Forrest. I asked Nathaniel to speak to him in hopes of finding something out about your father."

"Good thinking," Luke nodded his approval. Twenty minutes later Nathaniel trod out from the woods where he greeted them both with hugs and condolences.

"So, did you talk to the centaur?"

"I did, Hermione."

"And?"

"Hmm, it's complicated," Nathaniel said and then he parked himself on a boulder by the lake and he took a deep breath.

"I asked Firenze whether or not he had heard any news of Draco entering the realm of the Fae. His response was cryptic."

"Well don't keep us in suspense," Hermione said eagerly. "What did he say? Has he seen him or not?"

"No. But that isn't to say that he hasn't any information about his whereabouts."

"So you can't tell us anything about Draco?" Hermione said in frustration.

"I think they have him. It's just a feeling, but when I asked him had he heard about Draco crossing realms, he smiled and told me that if it did happen, then perhaps it was in the stars, that Draco should be condemned for his crimes against the Fae and all from the realm for not allowing them access to the wizarding world."

"Condemned?" Hermione gasped.

"Yes, it's most worrisome," Nathaniel said with a dour expression. "If Draco had only listened to me, and opened up the barriers between realms, then I'm quite certain that this would have never happened."

"Don't, alright. Draco struggled over that decision and I fully support him. The Fae are duplicitous, violent creatures who seek ill will upon witches and wizards alike. There's a reason that they were locked out of this realm a hundred years ago, and Draco had nothing to do with that. What was he supposed to do, let them in so that they could wreak havoc on our peaceful world?" Hermione defended.

"No, but he continued the tradition when he had the opportunity as Minister of Magic to heal old wounds, to forge alliances between the realms and yet he didn't. You must understand that to the Fae it was a door being slammed in their faces. Again. Look, I am sorry for Draco's predicament. I will do anything that I can to help get him back where he belongs, but if he is there, then he will not find any friends there. It would almost be better if he drowned in that river, and I say that with all the love in the world for my brother. It gives me chills to think of him there."

"And yet you support the Fae, knowing what they're capable of?" Luke piped in.

"I do, for all they want is their freedom."

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Change the law and you go free," the witch said and she held a hot poker to Draco's wrist.

"No. I won't," Draco held his ground. He was bloody scared, and traumatized but he hadn't lost all of his senses, and now more than ever did he know that he had done the right thing in blocking the Fae's petition. The lot of them were vile and wicked. They were torturers of the worst kind. His own demise, which was assured, was a small price to pay for keeping their kind out of the wizarding world, and keeping his family safe from the likes of the Fae and the rest of their bloody lot.

"You'll change your mind once I get finished with you," the witch said and then she stabbed the orange hot poker into Draco's shoulder. He howled out in pain as his skin was seered.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Gry, we will need to move to plan B. I must admit that I do admire your stubbornness, Minister, but you see, all of the realm stands behind me and we want the realm opened up, therefore we shall initiate the backup plan."

"There is nothing that you can do to me that will ever make me sign that fucking petition, you ugly fucking crone," Draco spat with his wrists and ankles tethered with rope whilst he dangled over a spit. The fire licked at his back and he screamed out in agony.

"I hope that isn't so," Draco heard a woman say and he craned his neck to see a tall woman with flowing blonde tresses who was dressed in a shimmering silver gown. Her ears were elf like and yet she looked nothing like a house elf. Her skin was a pale green but her face was pristine in its beauty and she spoke calmly and with a sense of power behind her. "Not all in Fae stand behind you witch, nor do we approve of your methods," the woman said and the witch backpedaled in fear from the woman.

"I'm going to release you from the ropes. You will not try to hurt me when I do, will you?" the woman asked.

"No," Draco responded, his voice husky from lack of food and drink. She kept her word and released him from his bondage where he slumped on the floor, spent.

"Bring him water from the well," she ordered and the witch complied and she hurried out the door of the small hut.

"Who are you? What are you?" Draco asked.

"My name is Glinel. I am only one of seven nobles that rule this realm. I am an elf, and I am the author of the petition that you and your Ministry rejected. Drink now," she said and she knelt and held the glass of fresh water to Draco's lips. "I have much to show you once you gather your strength." With that, she nodded to someone behind her and all at once Draco was hauled to his feet by two, male wood nymphs who laid him on am old wooden cart that was being pulled by a winged, white horse. As it lifted off the ground, Draco's head became hazy. _They put something in the water to make me sleep_, Draco said to himself as his eyes closed and he fell into the land of nod.

~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~~

She couldn't sleep and their bed at Serenity felt empty as Hermione returned home after performing an exhausted search of the Black Caverns and the lands around it. Nathaniel's words worried her, and she knew that if Draco was alive, and had crossed into the realm of the Fae, then he was living on borrowed time. She tossed and turned in bed but it was no use. She was about to wake her son and ask him if he had a stash of sleeping draught when she caught a whiff of something familiar. Smoke. Cigarette smoke. She threw open the double doors to their bedroom suite and she stepped out into the cold, November chill. That's when she saw him, and her heart began to race.

"Draco," she said when she saw his silhouette in the light of the moon. He was semi-transparent but he was there, standing on the terrace and he was puffing on a cigarette, just like he'd done so many times before, on those nights when he thought Hermione was asleep and she wouldn't catch him. "Draco, is that really you?" she asked and she went to him where she threw her arms around him, but then she drew back when she passed right through him. "Draco, please, say something?" she begged, but he ignored her as he gazed off the terrace at the rolling hills of the countryside, puffing away on his cigarette.

"Gods, please…This can't be-" Hermione's voice cracked at the realization of what she was staring at. It was Draco's ghost. She screamed.

"Mum, what's wrong?" Luke said as he lifted Hermione from the cold, stone floor of the terrace.

"Luke, he's dead. He's dead," she cried. "I just saw his ghost!"

"…_Tricks,"_ Luke heard the voice of the woman say in his mind. _"It's false magic."_

"No, Mum, he's not dead. It's just a trick!" Luke said with urgency.

"No, I saw it. I tried to touch him. It was a ghost! He's dead. My beautiful husband is dead," Hermione cried and she completely collapsed in Luke's arms.

"No, you have to listen to me, Mum. The woman in the wood, the naked one-She told me this would happen. She saw it. Dad is still alive," he said and he shook her, but Hermione could not be coaxed or convinced that she did not see Draco's ghost.

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	6. The Elm Tree

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Six

Harry looked worried, and Scorpius was pacing by the fireplace as Luke sat stoically on the sofa in the Malfoy family living room at Serenity. They waited. And then they waited some more.

"I'm going up there," Harry finally said as he bounded to his feet, but Scorpius put his hand out to halt him.

"Sapphire is a trained healer. Give her time," he said, though Luke could see the worry lines on his brother's face as well. "Why is he here anyways?" Scorpius asked and Luke let out a deep sigh.

"She flipped out, and locked me out of the bedroom. I was worried that she might—"

"Hex you?" Scorpius asked.

"Or worse—You know…"

"Hurt herself?" the blond asked and he gulped.

"Yeah," Luke replied grimly. "Thought you were off practicing Quidditch or something and I needed help."

"You did the right thing, Luke. I know Hermione probably better than anybody—" Harry began to say, but then he was abruptly cut off by an angry Scorpius.

"You mean better than anybody but my Dad? You don't know her better than my father, her _husband_," the blond retorted.

"Well no, obviously, Draco knew her better," Harry said softly.

"Knew her better? You mean _knows_ her better," Luke piped in.

"Shit, I'm sorry," Scorpius said to Harry and his face relaxed. "Luke, it's not Potter's fault. Thank you for coming," Scorpius said and Harry nodded as he relaxed and took his seat once more. "Look, in light of Mum seeing Dad's ghost, I think that we all need to face the facts. Dad is dead." Luke opened his mouth to protest but Scorpius interrupted him. "Luke, I miss my father. I'm not sleeping well, I have bloody nightmares about the Black Caverns and I hate all of this! I hate it so much," he said and he sat on the hearth of the grand, marble fireplace and buried his face in his hands. "I want him back as much as anybody, but right now, we need to be there for Mum, and like it or not that means that all three of us need to help her face the facts. Dad is gone," Scorpius said and he grimaced. "And he's never coming back, as much as it pains me to say."

"No! He is not gone," Luke shouted in protest.

"Luke, I'm sorry, but your brother is right. Hell, your Dad and I might have had a pretty messed up relationship when it came right down to it, but he was a friend, and a good one at that. He was a damn good Minister too," Harry said somberly.

"Then we wait for Persephone's update and then we plan the funeral. The sooner we do this the sooner this family can start to heal," Scorpius said with a deep sigh.

"I think it's probably for the best. The Department of Auror's have done an exhausted search of the Black family grounds. When this news of the ghost," Harry said cautiously and Luke shot daggers at him from across the room. Harry proceeded with caution. "When the Ministry is informed, they will officially call off the search. They will anyways, regardless of whether or not I tell them that 'Mione, your Mum, saw Draco's ghost on the terrace. We have no leads. Nothing to go on."

"You want to have a funeral? Are you both pissed on fire whiskey or have your brains gone absent and missing? We don't have a body! There is _no_ body. Until there is a body we are not fucking calling off the search, nor are we having a damn funeral. My father is alive!"

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"Rest now, Mum Malfoy," Persephone said as she capped the potion bottle and then smoothed her hand over Hermione's head, pushing the hair from her eyes. She covered her up with a quilt and then she turned down the lights, but not before she caught sight of something. It was inside a silver frame, a moving picture of Draco. In it, he was holding a baby Jillian and tossing her into the air. Persephone found herself reaching for it as she plucked it off the table and gazed at it. He was such a handsome man, she'd always thought that, and at least for a short while she'd entertained thoughts of what it would be like to be with him, in more than a daughter-in-law fashion. Remembering that, she suddenly felt guilty as she tucked the frame under Hermione's arm, so that Draco would be closer to her. She loved her Mother in Law, and it was a betrayal to even think about Draco in such a light. She wished more than anything that he would just reappear, as if my miraculous means, even if it wasn't realistic.

"Can't wait anymore," Luke said as be barreled through the door. "Is she alright?"

"She's sleeping, shush," Sapphire said and she padded across the floor and closed the door, leaving a slumbering Hermione, snug in bed.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Then it's settled. The funeral will be held this weekend. I'll contact Blaise so that he can invite all the Ministry officials and Heads of State."

"I won't do it," Luke said and he shook his head. "I won't pretend to bury my father when he isn't dead."

"You heard what my wife said," Scorpius howled, angrily. "Mum is in shock and probably traumatized."

"Yeah, but I didn't say that the cure for her grief was to hold a funeral for Draco," Persephone broke in. "It's something that she has to come to grips with, in due time. Her time. Not _your_ time Scorpius," she said with an icy stare.

"I'm the man of the family now and in so my decision stands. We will hold Dad's funeral this weekend, and you will _all_ be there!"

"I won't," Luke said and he sauntered from the room. "He's not dead!"

"In light of Mum's current state, I am temporarily taking custody of Jillian."

"Do you want to do Mum in, because taking Jillian will do just that?" Luke bit out and the two brothers nearly came to blows before Harry Potter got between them and broke them apart as she shouted, "Stupefy!"

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

She sat at the window with her legs tucked into her chest as she watched the sheets of rain cascade down the glass pane while a booming thunder cracked overhead. She turned the ring on her finger, her wedding ring, nervously, as a tear trickled down her cheek.

"Mum," Persephone said and she laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's time to get ready. The guests are arriving. Is that your dress over there?" she asked and she pointed to the black gown that hung on a padded hanger in the oak wardrobe. Hermione gave her a blank stare, but then nodded as she stood and stripped off her nightgown as it pooled at her feet. "I know how hard this must be for you, but you are the strongest witch that I know, and I just know that you will come through this," Persephone said as she helped Hermione into her dress. "Scorpius and Jillian are downstairs. Would you like to see them? I can send them up—"

"No. I don't want to see anybody. Leave me."

Persephone nodded.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Ilythea, where have you been? You've been gone a week," Draco heard the voice of the elf woman, Glinel, say as he popped his eyes open. He was lying in a bed lined with smooth, satin sheets.

"I was in the wood, Mother. You know I don't feel comfortable here," the younger woman said and Draco's eyes bulged when he saw Ilythea. It was the same wood nymph from the forest, the very same woman who had healed his leg and then pointed him in the direction of the moose tree.

"It isn't safe for you out there. The warring between the factions—I fear for your life, darling daughter." _Daughter_, Draco said to himself in shock. They didn't look at all alike.

"Fear not, for I was not in this realm, Mother."

"Ilythea!" the woman's voice sounded worrisome, almost panicked, as Draco closed his eyes and feigned sleep, all the while eavesdropping. "If the Aurors spotted you—"

"They didn't. I'm not that careless."

"If the Fae saw you…If they know the portal—"

"They do not. Nobody saw me, except for the younger one and him—" she said and Draco froze when he heard footsteps approaching. Glinel threw back the sheet and the cool air hit Draco's skin.

"He's awake. I can feel his presence. Open your eyes Outlander," she demanded and Draco sighed as he slowly opened his eyes. "Ilythea, you will go to your father and tell him what it is that you've done. I will speak with you when I am finished with the Minister."

"You won't hurt him?" the younger woman asked.

"Why do you concern yourself with such things?"

"Because of the boy with the golden eyes that sparkle like jewels in the night."

"Nothing can come of that. Ilythea, what have you done?"

"Nothing, Mother I swear it. I just like to watch him. He is curious and not like the rest in the realm."

"Thirsty," Draco mumbled and Glinel narrowed her eyes on him before she passed him a tall glass of water. As Draco gulped the cooling beverage down he watched in curious awe as the blonde elf and mother of the brunette wood nymph it seemed, laid her hands on the girl's forehead and then closed her eyes as if reading her mind.

"I am sorry Ilythea for not trusting you," the woman said softly and the girl nodded. "You may go now. Do check in with your father, he has been very worried for you."

"Now that you are awake, there is much to discuss," Glinel said when they were alone. She stood before Draco and peeled off her gown as it dropped to the floor. Draco's eyes went wide when her round and perky breasts spilled out into full view. "You gape at my nakedness," she said and she glared at him, accusingly.

"Well, yeah, you _are_ naked. It's a little distracting, and I am a married man, so if you had any ideas-"

"You revolt me," Glinel said and Draco was taken aback. He found that partciular term insulting and more than a little over the top, not to mention unnecessary.

"I'm sorry, I do not wish to offend," he said treading into unchartered waters and hoping to hell that he had said the right thing. Her face relaxed at that.

"We do not like to cover our bodies. It scratches our skin and it's not natural."

"But you were wearing a beautiful gown when you recused me from the witch."

"Even so, our kind prefer to be natural. As we were when we were born. Now strip off your clothes, but have no silly notions that I find what you hide under those tattered garbs to be pleasing whatsoever. I find your kind revolting, for the most part," she said almost as an afterthought, and Draco gulped as he began to unbutton his shirt.

"Why did you not sign my petition?" she said angrily, as Draco stood there, naked as the day he was born feeling absolutely out of place and unnerved. "Do you not care that the Night Elves, the Dawn Elves, the Nightingales and the Wood Nymphs are at the brink of extinction? Even now as we speak the Fae move to attack," she said and Draco was at a loss for words.

"Your words," he said feeling put on the spot, "There were no such bold statements within the petition that I rejected."

"Liar!" she said and she shouted. When she did, the walls shook and rubble began to fall all around them as it crumbled to the floor.

"I'm not bloody lying, _Elf_, your petition said nothing of warring with the Fae, or requests for safe harbor from those who would harm you. You wanted unmitigated access, to come and go as you please from this realm to our realm. Since the Fae War with our kind ended, a hundred years ago—"

"A hundred years ago? The Fae war continues! See with your own eyes, Minister of Magic," she spat and she turned and with swaying, gliding hips she strolled across the room to a door that she pushed open. Draco followed. "This is _your_ war. You and your kind started it."

Draco was surprised at what he saw. It appeared that the room where he was being housed by the noble, Glinel, was carved into a mountain top. He had a sense of déjà vu when he gazed out at the hazy, orange skies. Around the mountain was a wall, hundreds of meters high and perched upon that wall were archers, one thousand strong. They fired flaming bows at the hordes of diminutive Fae that scaled the walls, piled up on top of one another like a ladder as they dropped over the walls with their clubs and spears in hand. It was like an invasion of ants. They were an army on the move. In the skies overhead, the prehistoric Nightingales shrieked as they plucked the tiny Fae into their strong talons and then dropped them in the wood. It was a horrific sight and one that reminded Draco of his own war days, back when Voldemort and the Death Eaters reigned over the wizarding world. He gulped. Hard.

"We were allies and your Ministry sent us here to fight those which you could not conquer alone with your magic sticks of wood. You are feeble, yet we trusted you. We fought with you and this is what _you _did to us. Behold your war, Minister of Magic," she said and she raised her arms into the air as a deep sorrow overwhelmed Draco. _This is a far bigger cluster fuck than I'd ever imagined_, he said to himself.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

Luke stood back, away from the crowds, with his umbrella opened up as sheets of rain poured down from the heavens. Multitudes of witches and wizards, from all over the world descended on Serenity. Draco was to be buried under the shade of an Elm, whose branches reached out with protective and sheltering arms to watch over him for all eternity. Too bad it was all a farse, he thought to himself as he watched Harry Potter escort his crying Mum through the crowds of magic folk to where a casket was erected above a deep hole in the ground.

"Can I stand with you?" Jillian asked as she laced her hand in Luke's and pressed her petite body against his in order to keep dry. He wrapped a snug arm around his sister when he heard her sniffles.

"Don't cry, Jilly. Dad isn't dead. This is all preposterous."

"I know," she mumbled.

"So why are you crying then?" Luke asked.

"Because Mummy is sad and because this is all my fault. Do you hate me?"

"Hate you?" Luke said and he squatted down to meet her at eye level. "No, Jillian. I could never hate you. This isn't your fault, alright? You know once, when I was about your age, I ran away and Dad came looking for me."

"You did?" she asked, her eyes welling with tears.

"I did. Wherever Dad is I'm sure he's alright," Luke comforted, even though he wasn't altogether certain that he was telling the truth.

"Is that Lily?" Jillian asked and she pointed.

"Oh, I dunno, I didn't notice," Luke lied as he scanned the crowd of mourners for his former flame, his heart skipping a beat when he caught sight of her. She was dressed in a black gown that fell below her knees, and she wore a hooded, navy robe over her gown to shield herself from the rain. She hugged his mother and then she hugged Persephone, and then—then the unthinkable happened. It wasn't a normal hug, when Lily waltzed up to Scorpius and pressed her body against his expensive suit. It wouldn't have been noticeable to most in attendance, but to Luke it was like a neon sign blinking in the blackness of night. Her leg arched and she rubbed her knee against his inner thigh, while his hand roamed conspicously down her back. Then he casually squeezed her right arse cheek, before they broke apart. It was so slight an act, that even Persephone, who was standing right next to Scorpius, didn't notice the duplicitous gesture. Luke did though. He gasped in utter shock and horror as he dropped the umbrella. _She hooked up with some Seeker_, he heard the words of Scorpius in his mind. His blood ran cold. He balled up his fists and at that he charged at Scorpius.

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	7. The Changing Tides

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Seven

He didn't even bother to pull out his wand, though he hadn't dismissed the notion either as he charged at his older brother. Scorpius was a wall of solid muscle and brawny, from all the years of playing Quidditch, but Luke hit him like a battering ram and Scorpius fell as their bodies splashed down together in the saturated muck and soggy grass.

"What the fuck has gotten into you?" Scorpius bellowed his eyes wide. White hot anger coursed through every vein in Luke's body though as visions of his brother and his sweet Lily played out like a horror movie in his head. Luke's fist smashed down upon Scorpius's face. He heard a crack, and Scorpius wailed as blood spurt from his nose. He straddled the blond and then proceeded to pummel him with enraged fists of fury as he swung and landed blow after blow.

"You and Lily? You're the Seeker! I'm going to kill you," Luke shrieked, his voice deep and guttural. He saw the look of dawning pass across his brother's blood smeared face and Luke launched on him again, only Scorpius blocked his next shot and then in a quick turn of events, it was Luke who was on the bottom, being smacked senseless as a bloody and bruised Scorpius opened up a can of whoop arse on his little brother.

"What? What? You and Lily?" Persephone cried out in shock.

"It just happened. It wasn't meant to!" Lily pronounced.

"Scorpius? You slept with her?" Persephone shrieked over the booming thunder.

"I was shit pissed drunk after we beat Ireland! Lily had a bottle of fire whiskey," Scorpius yelled as he grappled with Luke on the ground.

"Oh, don't you blame this all on me Scorpius Malfoy. You were the one who suggested it. You said she was a cold fish!" Lily shouted.

"A cold fish? Why you little slut," Persephone said and she pulled her wand on Lily and she jammed it into her neck. "You home wrecker. You're just like your Mum who shits all over your decent and good father and sleeps with half the wizarding world!"

"I'm so sorry Persephone," Lily cried.

"What's to stop me from offing you right now? I could do it, you know?" Persephone said with trembling hands.

"Please don't. The baby…" Lily said and she held protective hands over her middle.

That's when complete pandemonium broke out. Harry was now involved in the mess as Nathaniel attempted to pry the two Malfoy young men apart, but it was Hermione who swooped in like a hurricane. Scorpius had Luke's arms pinned at his sides, but Luke managed to get two of his digits on his wand. He pulled it out and chanted. "_Cruci—_"

"_Expelliarmis_!" Hermione shouted in the nick of time. "Get up, both of you!" Hermione screamed through the pouring rain. "This is your father's funeral! Do you even care?" Hermione said as tears spilled from her eyes like a river, cascading down her red and wind chapped cheeks as she stood in her black dress and veil.

"I'm sorry Mother," Scorpius said as he stood, but Hermione turned on him and slapped him across the face.

"Both of you leave. Now. In fact, everyone leave!" she shouted as Harry laid a comforting arm around her. "And you—" she said and she turned on Rita Skeeter, whose automatic quill was moving rapidly on its own accord, no doubt writing the scoop of all scoops, intent on ruining the Malfoy name, "_Incendio_!" Hermione shouted as she pointed her wand at the _Daily Prophet_ reporter, and Rita's parchment and quill burst into flames. "My ungrateful son is likely to be the next Minister," she said in a calculating way to the aging witch. "If you want to be our exclusive reporter then I suggest that you write a nice article about Draco and his legacy to the wizarding world. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, yes Miss," Rita replied through quivering lips as Hermione held her wand on her.

"Nathaniel, please deal with the guests and make a formal apology on my behalf. I'm going up to the house. Jillian and Persephone, you are welcome to join me. The rest of you, just get out of my face! Gods Draco, I need you. I can't do this without you!" she shouted into the storm as she threw her hands in the air and then stomped back to the house at Serenity, pulling Jillian along with her.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"What has gotten into you, Luke? This is your father's funeral," Nat said and he shook Luke, as if to knock some sense into him. "Your Mum is heartbroken." There was a hissing from the crowd of mourners, their voices taking on the quality of a hundred pit vipers and all at once Luke wanted to hex them all.

"He's not dead!" Luke cried to the gawking guests. "My father is not dead! And you," he said turning his gaze on Scorpius, "Are _not_ my brother."

"Luke I'm sorry," Lily said and she tried to comfort him.

"Don't touch me! This is Drew all over again," he said, choked up and exhausted from his fight with Scorp's. He had to get out of there, so he did the only thing that he could think of and he turned on his heels and with a _crack_, he apparrated away. It surprised him where he apparrated to, without even a second thought.

"I knew you'd come back," Lucius said and he laid a gentle hand on Luke's shoulder.

"How was the funeral?" Narcissa asked as she sat on the sofa before the roaring fire, sipping on a cup of tea.

"He's not dead," Luke uttered.

"We know," Lucius quipped.

"That's why we didn't attend," Narcissa said. "Come on," she said and she opened her arms to Luke. He collapsed on the sofa next to her, buried his head in her lap and wept like he hadn't wept since he was a mere child. He was thankful that neither asked him to replay the events of Draco's funeral.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Why do they attack? Why here?" Draco asked the woman with the flowing tresses.

"Mayahasta," she whispered. "The mountain. It is of great power."

"Why? By what magical means is this mountain powerful, and why do the Fae seek it?"

"Enough questions. You will bathe and then you will join us for supper. The answers are coming, Minister," Glinel said cryptically, and then she snapped her fingers and two nymphs appeared. "Take him to the baths."

There were deep craters in the rock floor, where plunge pools of sparkling grape waters lay sprawled out across what looked like kilometers of underground tunnels and caverns. "These waters, they seem familiar though— the colour was lighter, a sort of lavender, not this dark. Hermione and I went into the warm spring back at Black Caverns and-" Draco said as he was led by the arms into one of the pools.

"The river runs under the mountain in subterranean channels before it splits off into tributaries. It is most concentrated here," one of the wood nymphs with pale skin and light green hair said as she began to wash Draco's arms and neck while the other nymph stood at the edge of the pool, as if standing guard. Draco recoiled from her touch.

"I can wash myself, thanks," he said and he splashed the tingling water over his face and raked his hands through his hair. "What is the source of this concentration that you speak of?" The woman smirked at him though, rather than giving him an answer and Draco shot her a puzzled glance. "Are you not allowed to tell me?"

"No, I can tell you," she said and she smiled.

"Right then, tell me," he urged.

"It won't make a difference if I do, as you won't remember it."

"Why won't I remember it?"

"Bathe, Minister. You do remember that you are the Minister of Magic, don't you?"

"Of course I bloody do," Draco said growing annoyed at being treated like a senile, old man, that or a small child. Just like Glinel, the wood nymph seemed to have a sense of superiority about her as well and Draco found it to be condescending as hell. "I'm the Minister of Magic and my name is Draco Malfoy."

"And who is your wife? You mentioned her only a moment ago," the woman said and she cocked her head to the side with a grin.

"You think I don't remember my beautiful wife?"

"Do you?"

"I could never forget her."

"What's her name?" the woman challenged.

"I dunno' what game you're playing with me nymph, but my wife has a bushy mane of chestnut hair and eyes like puddles of the finest chocolate galleons can buy," he bit back, becoming ever the more angry as he stood to leave the bath.

"Her name?"

"I know her bloody name!" Draco shouted, his voice echoing through the subterranean cavern. "It's Ha—He-Hi." His blood ran cold when he couldn't conjure up the name of the woman whose image was burned into his brain like a lone candle in the middle of a dark, dense forest. He could see her clearly, but he couldn't remember her name. "Merlin," Draco bit out as he wrapped a towel around his waist with shaky hands.

"Wrong. Her name is Hermione. You'd be best to hold onto that thought. The crystals inside the mountain power the river. Do try to remember that as well," the nymph said as she led him back down a series of winding, torch lit tunnels.

"And if I forget again?"

"Then I will tell you again, only I won't speak it aloud."

"I don't understand," Draco said.

You too have the ability. It's the crystals effect. _Try it_," he heard the nymph woman say; only her lips were not moving.

"_What's your name and are you a friend_?" Draco said, but his eyes bulged when he realized that he had spoken no words but had simply thought the words.

"I am a friend of Ilythea's, and in so you are my friend. I am Chayelle. Glinel will probe your mind at supper. Chew on this and it will impede her efforts," the woman nymph said and then she quickly turned and thrust something into Draco's hand. "I must take my leave now."

A door swung open and Draco had to shield himself from the bright, bluish, white light as he squeezed his hand around the slimy object that Chayelle had given to him, even though he had no clue what it was, and inner voice told him to trust her. _Hermione_, he said to himself as a means of remembering. _Something about crystals._

"Good, you bathed," Glinel said but then she cast her eyes downwards and Draco shuddered. _She knows what's in my hand. Busted. Fucking great, now she's going to probe my mind. Fuck, I want to go back to the wizarding world._ _Hermione. Hermione. Her—_ "Well, this simply will not do," Glinel said with a deep frown and Draco's heart began to speed up as he clenched his fist tighter, unwillingly to let go of whatever it was he was holding in his hand and that seemed to nip and bite at his skin. Her eyes sparkled as she narrowed her gaze on him and then in a swift motion she reached forward and ripped the towel that clung to waist away and then let it drop to the floor. "Much better Minister," Glinel's expression lifted and Draco breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that he hadn't been caught. "Now join us for dinner," she said and her golden tresses smacked him in the face as she spun, gracefully on her heels, turning her back to him. He quickly popped the slimy, slithering object in his hands into his mouth as he slowly chewed. It was worse than eating dung beetles the taste was so revolting. More than once something stuck him on the roof of his mouth as Glinel gave a brief history of the looming crystal that lay like a muggle skyscraper in the middle of the large dining chamber. It was pulsating and glowing and beautiful in all its bluish splendor. When he looked at it, he felt an almost euphoria that threatened to overpower him, and he immediately knew at that moment why it was that the Fae wanted inside the mountain so badly.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Why didn't you tell me?" Scorpius howled as the grounds of Serenity emptied and he found himself alone (well nearly alone) with Lily Potter. Harry Potter was still consoling his daughter.

"Don't you bloody dare shout at my daughter after what you've done, or so help me I will finish off what Luke started," Harry Potter roared through the slashing, pelting rain.

"Dad, shut it. I'm a grown woman, I can handle myself," Lily chastised. "Just go back to the house. Go!" she shouted at her father and Harry reluctantly turned and left, but not before casting Scorpius a look that if looks could kill he would be dead on the spot. When he had left, Lily stepped forward, hesitantly, but still keeping a safe distance from him. "I just found out, Scorpius. Regular fitness screening. The healer only just told me yesterday. I'm still in a state of shock."

"And you're sure the baby is mine?"

"Am I sure?" Lily cried and she broke down in a fit of tears. "Do you think me the slut and home wrecker too? Do you?" she asked, her voice pained. "You were the first and the only wizard."

"Shit!" Scorpius fell to his knees in shock as he choked on the taste of his own blood. "I'm going to lose my wife and my brother over this."

"You? I'm the one that's knocked up. I was sacked from Quidditch too. You're not the only one losing out here. I loved Luke, and he won't ever look at me again."

"Yeah, well then you should have slept with Luke. He'd not as been so bloody stupid as to forget the contraceptive potion."

"Merlin, you're such an arse. I gave my virginity to a complete and utter aresehole!"

"Yeah, well getting me pissed drunk on fire whiskey and then doing that bloody erotic striptease… What the fuck did you think would happen?"

"You're the one who egged me on! Telling me how hot my arse looked on a broom and how for years you'd secretly wanted me," Lily said with gritted teeth. "Oh yeah, you said a lot that night and don't say it was just the drink making you say those things. You told me you wanted me! Merlin, you liar! I hate you!" Lily brushed past him but he gripped her hard by the arm, halting her and then he pulled her to his chest. His pulse quickened when he held the redhead in his arms and before he knew what he was doing his lips crashed down over hers. She fought him, pushing at him to let her go but then he felt her need give way as her tongue entwined with his and her arms wound around his neck. He lifted her into his arms and she wrapped her legs around him as he snogged her senseless. He knew it was wrong, so bloody wrong, and his face hurt from Luke's assault, but he couldn't help it. He _did_ want her.

"Gods no, it's happening again," Lily said pulling away from his kiss but then going back for seconds. "Merlin, why did I get myself mixed up with you," she said and she pulled out her wand and held it to his face.

"Just do it. Everyone else hates me, you might as well," Scorpius said and he held his arms out and closed his eyes, expecting to hear the killing curse.

"Episkey," Lily said instead and his broken nose was healed. "Scorpius, I'm pregnant. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," he said honestly as he pulled her into a hug.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"What am I supposed to do Harry? My whole family is in shambles. Persephone, somehow we will fix this—" Hermione paced as she fell into a manic sort of mood. Persephone was dazed as she stood unnoticed and threw open the doors to the terrace, traipsing out into the drenching rain.

"Just calm down, Hermione. You're still not over the shock of losing Draco, and now all of this. Nobody expects you to fix it all. They are young adults now. I'm just as bloody traumatized by this as you though," Harry spat. That's when the first letter shot through the floo and it smacked Hermione on the forehead.

"Ouch," she said as she frantically plucked the letter up off the ground and tore it open. She froze when she looked at the contents of the letter and then she backpedaled as she fell onto the couch.

"What? What is it?" Suddenly hoards of letters began to shoot through the fireplace. The whole room was filled with them. "Hermione, what is this?" Harry screamed frantically as he used his wand to deflect the letters into one giant, pile of envelopes.

"Marriage proposals," Hermione finally said with a grimness in her voice. "It seems that I am suddenly the most famous widow in the wizarding world. I think I'm going to be ill," Hermione said when she dropped one of the letters on the floor. It was a picture of a naked wizard, who had to have been Lucius's age. It was not a pleasant sight. The visual of a shriveled up prune came to mind. "Draco, how could you leave me here all alone! Gods, I want you back," she wailed.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

_Broken_. That's how she felt as she watched her dear husband, snogging Lily Potter on the wet lawn of Serenity. At that moment she had the idea of throwing herself right over the balcony. She began to climb up onto the rail, her eyes laying witness to her beloved husband's betrayal. Lily was pregnant, and Scorpius would ditch her in a heartbeat. He wanted a family, hell he'd always made that clear. She denied him that, so when opportunity presented itself—It would just be better for all if she just leapt off. So she did. Or rather, she would have, had it not been for strong hands pulling her back.

"Oh no you don't. I got you."

"Leave me alone. Let me do it. Look at them! They're in love."

"They're in lust."

"No. I know because he used to look at me that way. Just let me do it," Persephone pleaded as she struggled in his arms, but the more she struggled the tighter he held her.

"You were always too good for him. It's his loss. You can do better."

"I can?" she said and then his finger was on her chin, forcing her to look up at him. She gazed into his emerald orbs and in them she saw a strength, a strength she'd never seen in a man before, except one other time when she was locked in that dank basement with Mr. Malfoy, and he'd saved her. She could literally feel his magic, so strong and developed like that of an older wizard. _Not a boy, but a man_, she thought to herself. His magic was virile and comforting, woven like a blanket around her as he held her, unwilling to let her jump off and end it all.

"You can Persephone. No, you will," he said with a confidant, gentle smile.

"Thank you Mr. Potter."

"Call me, Harry."

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Let him go dear. He has to fight his own demons, pampering and coddling isn't the Malfoy way," he heard Lucius say as he bolted out the door of the cottage at the Black Caverns. It was drizzling as he tore down the steps and meandered along the worn out path through the forest. When he came to a small clearing he stopped, panting, as he held back a wall of anger and tears.

"I loved you…More than the sun, the moon and the stars," Luke cried out when he was sure that he was far enough away from the cottage not to be heard by a single soul. "…More than the sun, the moon and the stars," he said again as collapsed on all fours and let loose the damn of agony that he felt inside as an anguish cry escaped his lips.

"…Come," her voice said. Startled, Luke's head shot up. "Boom," she said and she looked up at the sky. It was her, the naked one, the vision of beauty, the girl from his closet.

"This isn't a good time. Please, just leave me alone," he said, looking away, ashamed for anyone to see him in such a state.

"We go. Now," she said and she reached for his hand and yanked him up as she began to run through the woods, Luke having no choice but to follow along with her. That's when the lightning bolt lit up the gray sky and then the orange flicker of sparks flew in every direction. He heard a crack and then he felt a deep rumbling beneath his feet as tree roots were ripped from the earth.

"Look out," he said and he moved in front of the woman to shield her from the falling tree. The aging elm smashed to the forest floor, barely missing them. That's when the oddest thing happened. The woman began to sob as she crouched next to scorched and burning tree. "Hey, it's alright. We're fine. That old tree narrowly missed us. If you hadn't have pulled me up when you did, Merlin, it would have crushed us," Luke said feeling completely bewildered.

"Shush," she said as she continued in her weird reverie over the tree. She was chanting under her breath in a dialect that Luke had never heard before. That's when it decided to pour once more but Luke stood there, gawking, confused as he watched her lament over the tree as if it were a dead friend or relative instead of a tree in the middle of a dense forest. When she was done she stood and turned to face him.

"Ilythea," she said, gazing straight into his eyes. Her own eyes were misty as if she had been crying too.

"What is that?"

"It's my name. You were thinking to ask what my name was."

"How did you know that?" _…More than the sun, the moon and the stars…_Luke suddenly remembered her saying in the attic that night, the first night they'd come to the Black Caverns. She had been crying that night as she basked in the moonlight that streamed through the attic window. _How could she know_, he thought to himself.

"Come, the storm grows," she said though, ignoring his question as she once again laced her fingers in his and began to weave in and out between the trees. Luke was slapping branches away, clumsily trying to keep up with her but then she stopped suddenly at an odd looking tree. It had two main limbs that branched out from the main trunk of the tree and a giant knot that stuck out between the two trunks. "Follow close," she said turning to look at him and then in the blink of an eye she disappeared into the massive trunk of a tree, just as she had disappeared into the wood wall of the wardrobe in the attic on that first night.

"Bollocks. Where did you go? Ilythea?" Suddenly he heard her muffled voice and to Luke's shock, it seemed to be coming from within the tree.

"It's just like crossing onto the Platform."

Astonished, Luke asked, "Which platform?"

"Platform 9 3/4. Now, come on," Ilythea urged.

"How do you know about Platform 9 ¾'s?" he asked.

"Step through the tree and I will answer your question." Luke sighed, nervously and then he imagined himself on the platform as he stepped through the trunk of the looming tree.

"I knew you were different," the strange woman said with a beaming smile as she gently pulled Luke into what looked like a home inside the hollowness of a living tree. Lightning cracked outside and a resounding thunder boomed overhead as a steady rain began to fall, though the insides of the tree were dry and warm. The room was large, the floor lined with soft moss and leaves. Vines draped along the walls, some bursting with sweet smelling honeysuckles and there was even a snug resting place next to a small camp fire. It was almost cozy in an inviting sort of way, albeit crude and rustic. None of it made sense. From the outside the tree looked like any other, although distinctly noticeable because of its odd shaped branches and tree trunk, but inside it looked like a home. "Come, take your clothes off."

"What?" Luke shuddered.

"You are cold and wet," she said and when her fingers touched him, not the cold fingers you would expect, no, Ilythea had a warming touch that felt like soft embers against his pale, wet skin. She unbuttoned his shirt and slid it down his arms. Luke gulped though when he felt her hands on the buckle of his trousers.

"No, stop," he mildly protested when she unzipped his fly and looped her fingers under the waistband of his boxers.

"You don't have to pretend with me, Golden one. You desire my body," she said, her eyes piercing as she stared into his face.

"I—Today has been the worst," he muttered, dropping his gaze, too ashamed to look at the beautiful woman before him.

"You had your manhood stripped from you. I am going to put back what was taken," she said and Luke's eyes went wide as she slid down his body, pulling his trousers down with her as she knelt before him. Chills shot down his spine when she wrapped her warm hand around his shaft and began to rub him, but when he felt her luscious lips around him the only words of protest that escaped his lips were those of a deep, husky moan.

Review!?

So, shaking things up here. I do have another twist coming up a bit later, but it will be a slower lead up to it. Anyways, let me know and sorry for the delay. I actually just lost my aunt rather suddenly, so I was pretty glad that I had already written most of the funeral scene. In any case, this chapter was always intended to be a difficult one and a game changer, so it is as was always intended. Let me know, and please review, but you don't have to say sorry about my Aunt. I write fantasy/romance, in order to get away from the stresses of the real world, so thanks to all who I know would have said it, but I'm ok and still plugging away at this story Love to hear your thoughts though! I like to write in shades of gray, and while I know Scorpius looks pretty bad (Lily too) please have an open mind and let's see where it goes, if anywhere? If you found that whole bit too hard to handle, then you may want to get out of the kitchen, because D&H storyline is going to heat up a little later, so you should save your rocks for throwing at me for later :P You all know how my stories end…if you don't you shouldn't be reading this and should go back and read the others first LOL Thanks to all those who are reading and reviewing! End annoying Authors Note.

Review!?


	8. The Dark Mark Deception

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Eight

Supper was not at all what Draco was accustomed to. For starters, he was naked, but then so was everyone else seated at the oval shaped granite table. There were eight of them, including himself, Nobles he assumed as noted by the golden headbands that that they each wore upon their heads. Each headband was encrusted with a jewel, each of a different colour that was placed at the center of their foreheads where the gold band formed a V shape. Glinel's was a sparkling diamond, but the male nymph to his left wore an emerald gem upon his headpiece. Draco tried to ascertain the significance of the gemstones as he dissected just what races of magical beings he was dining with. The winged and beaked birdlike creature at the far end of the table, who was dining from a plate full of slithering maggots, had an amber colored stone on its headband. It, because he wasn't certain if the prehistoric bird or Nightingale as they seemed to be called in the realm, was a he or a she. He got chills just being in the same room as the creature, though he couldn't exactly remember why that was. He had glimpses of a beak, close to his face and something about an appetite for eyeballs, but it seemed so far off, like a distant memory, one that he couldn't recall. _Wife—Hermione, Wife—Hermione,_ he said to himself as he clenched the rubbery object that Chayelle had given him in order to block Glinel's mind probes, between his back molars as he stared down at his plate. Rocks and grass and something that looked like a honeycomb lay on his plate. He immediately lost his appetite.

"Who won the World Cup?" one of the wood nymphs asked, as he looked up from his plate of grass and stared at Draco. The wood nymph beside him, the one with the emerald headpiece, glared at Draco and then huffed, as if perturbed.

"Pud—No, Chud. No. Yeah, Chudley won. I think."

"He doesn't remember," the maggot eating, beaked Nightingale said with a squawk and the whole table erupted into a fit of laughter.

"Do not mock our guest. He assures me that he has come here into our realm so that he can set right the wrongs of his people. He will open up the realms, this he assures me," Glinel said and she smiled at Draco.

"I don't think that I said that," Draco quipped but then he was nudged by the wood nymph next to him and the look he cast him was that of an angry one at seeing his plate of food untouched. He sighed, and then he reluctantly picked up the honeycomb and bit into it. Glinel nodded to him as if he had done the proper thing.

"But you did Minister. You said it to me in your chambers, just before your bath. I even brought the petition with me for you to sign," she said and she produced a scroll of parchment in which she unrolled and placed before him.

"Ah, but I don't have a quill," Draco said smirking, believing himself to have outsmarted the nobles.

"Throw him over the wall. Let the Fae have at him. He's worthless to us," one of the nobles said and a ruckus broke out.

"Silence," Glinel said and she banged her goblet of sparkling water down upon the table. The table fell under a hush at that. "It so happens that I have a quill right here," she said in a congenially tone of voice and she passed Draco a dove feathered quill that was plated in gold. She dipped the quill into the ink and then placed it into his hand as she flattened out the parchment in front of him. "Now sign it," she said forcefully.

"Can I bloody read it first, or was that also part of the deal I supposedly made with you regarding this once declined petition?"

"You may read," she said with an annoyed expression.

_Petition 158734_

_For the Eyes of the Minister of Magic Only_

_We the petitioners of the Realm of the Fae do hereby petition with just cause_, Draco read in his head. _Blah blah loads of mumbo jumbo that my wife would find thoroughly exciting but that I find utterly useless and boring. My wife, Herlion. No that isn't right. Her, well, I am Hers whatever her name is,_ he thought when he once again couldn't remember the name of his wife. _I will have to ask Cha—Seashell? Chayshell? Damn it, why can't I remember!_ Draco continued reading and then his blood ran cold when he read one certain sentence.

…_and upon the granting of this petition the House of Mayahasta shall rule over both realms. The noble House shall preside over all governing bodies and peoples that live in the magical realms._

"You want me to sign something that would not only render my job useless, but that would give you and the rest of you lot complete control over not just this realm but of our realm as well? Absolutely not. Are you all bloody mad as fucking hatters or just drunk on that blasted light from that fucking beacon of neon blue?" Draco shouted, becoming enraged as he stood and pointed to the blue crystal in the center of the chamber that pulsated and hummed. "Can somebody turn that bloody thing off? I can't think with that humming and that light." At that Draco shredded the petition into pieces. It was not a brilliant move, nor one of his more prestigious diplomatic moments as all seven of the nobles stood from the table with blood thirsty expressions.

"It's just a setback," Glinel said and she lowered her hands as if beckoning them to take their seats once more. "We still have one more petition, the third and final petition and I assure you that after our dear Minister thinks it over he will come to the right decision. Chayelle! Take him to the baths." Draco watched as the green haired nymph curtsied to Glinel as she entered the room.

"How long shall I bathe him for this time?"

"As long as it takes," Glinel said and her eyes flashed darkly. "Until he can't remember anything of his past life as a completely inept and unfair Minister of Magic."

"But Miss, nobody has ever spent more than a few minutes in the water. In such high concentrations it's effects—"

"I'm well aware of the risks, now do as I say."

"Yes, Miss," Chayelle said, but the look she gave Draco was that of pure fright.

"I don't care what you do to me; I will never sign that petition."

"Minister, when I get done with you, you will wish that I'd left you to the witch, for my methods of getting what I want are far more masterful than a mere warlock could imagine."

"Oh is that right is it? I don't think so, you see," Draco said frantically searching for his words. He was at a loss, but as he sat there naked and stripped of power without his wand his eyes fell to the Dark Mark upon his arm. It was all he had so he went for it. "This is the Dark Lord Volde- _Merlin not now, what's his fucking name, Draco screamed in his head._ Voldemort's mark," he spit out and he stood and waved his arm for all to see. There were gasps and for this Draco smiled victoriously. They had indeed heard of him it seemed. "I was in his inner circle. Did you think that I came about the position of Minister by means of fairness, or is it just possible that I seized power and that my magic is so severe that all witches and wizards quake at the sight of me?" He laid it out there, the lie, and then he waited and hoped that he could make them believe that a lie was the truth.

"He wears the mark of the Death Bringer. We must let him go," one of the nobles said, the one with the sapphire gemstone on his headband.

"He's lying," the man to his right said and another one concurred. The whole table of nobles began to argue and fight as Draco sat back and folded his arms, pleased with himself.

"There's an easy way to solve this," Glinel finally said and then she leaned over and forced her hand upon his forehead. The pressure was intense as she probed his mind. Draco bit down, hard, on the rubbery thing between his back molars, while visions of a robed man with jet black, greasy hair, saying the word Occlumency appeared like moving images in his mind. _Push me back Draco, you must do this. Do it now_, he heard the words of the man, who dressed like a Professor and who meant something to him, though he couldn't remember exactly what that something was or who the wizard was. So he did. He pushed as hard as he could to keep the elf from invading his mind. Their eyes were locked, and Draco could feel her weakening as she winced and grimaced while he continued to push, harder and harder until she finally tore her hand away from his head and let out an ear piercing shriek. She fell from her chair and the male nymph at Draco's side stood and scooped her up into his arms.

"What did you do to her, warlock?" By the angry and worried look upon his face, Draco could only assume that this was in fact Glinel's mate.

"The same thing I will do to you _all_ should you not let me go. I demand my release," Draco said authoritatively and he once again held up his arm to reveal the dark mark.

"Throw him in the baths!" Glinel shouted as she regained her footing and smoothed her hands through her flowing hair, though she looked completely exhausted and in a minor state of shock that she hadn't prevailed.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"This one's not so bad," Persephone said as she sat before a roaring fire on the couch at Serenity, sifting through the piles and piles of mail with Harry Potter at her side. "On second thought, I might want to keep this one for myself," Persephone said.

"Let me see that," Harry said and he snatched the letter from her hands as he perused the parchment. "Half-blood looking for a Muggle-Born witch to share my mansion and my life with. Philanthropist. P.S. You have always been my hero. Signed, Taylor Bobbins," Harry read.

"Look, they even sent a picture. What would you say they are, thirty-five, forty perhaps?" Persephone asked as she handed Harry the moving picture.

"For one," Harry said as he gazed at the picture," to classify one's self based on blood status at all sets off all sorts of warnings in my mind. For two, you didn't look at this picture very well because your wizard has, er—" he hesitated feeling uncomfortable, "breasts. Taylor it seems is a witch, not a wizard, and for three, does age matter a whole lot to you?" Harry asked. Oh he knew that the whole act of sorting through Hermione's love letters was a complete waste of time as Hermione had told him to burn them all, that she loved Draco and that was that, but Harry thought the diversion might be a welcome activity for Persephone, who Harry worried greatly for, after the experience on the terrace. It seemed to work too, in at least that it gave Persephone the chance to see that Scorpius wasn't the only wizard in the world and that there were many living out bachelor lives who longed for the company of an intelligent witch like herself.

"Yes, I think that age does matter," Persephone said as she thumbed through a few more envelopes, tossing some into the fire that didn't interest her.

"Ah, I thought so," Harry said feeling slightly deflated, though he didn't know why he should.

"Oh, look at this one! He was trained as an Auror and he likes gardening and Quidditch. He's handsome too! Do you think," Persephone said with a renewed bubbling enthusiasm, "that Mum Malfoy, would mind if I kept this one?"

"I'm quite sure that she would give you the lot of them. She told me to burn them in the fireplace." Harry drummed his fingers nervously on his leg at that. He was itching to see the photo that Persephone was swooning over, of the so called Auror. A sense of curiosity was killing him.

"It would be a shame to burn all of these, wouldn't it? Someone should write them back at least, you know, even if it's just saying sorry not interested," Persephone said gazing at the picture in her hand, an act that started to irritate Harry even the more. The fact that it irritated him bothered him. He had no right to be annoyed that Persephone was looking at some young buck that was looking for a woman who resembled Hermione. Persephone looked enough like Hermione that she could pass as her own daughter, so it wasn't entirely unbelievable to think that at least some of the gents in the stack would probably fancy Persephone too.

"Are you going to show me the picture of Mr. Wonderful?" Harry finally asked when it seemed clear that she had no intention of offering him a look.

"Oh, I'd rather not," she said and a blush crept over her cheeks.

"Why, does he have some strange disfigurement that you don't want me to see, like six fingers or an extra nipple?" Persephone giggled, and it was music to his ears knowing that after the horrific events of days past that he was able to make the woman smile at all, let alone laugh.

"No, not at all," she said and she tossed one of the throw pillows at Harry which made him chuckle.

"Then show me," Harry said with all seriousness.

"No, I can't," she said but when Harry reached out with a wide smile and went to snatch it away from her anyway, Persephone leapt from her seat and attempted to get away. A childish chase around the coffee table ensued and Harry was having fun horsing around with the girl. "Alright, alright, I'll show you," she said when Harry jumped over the table and landed in front of her.

"Let's sit back down on the couch first," she said, and Harry did as she asked as they once again took their seats.

"Right then, let's see your ideal man."

"I never said he was my ideal man."

"Stalling."

"I'm sorry, I changed my mind," she said and then she stuffed the photograph behind her back as she leaned back against the arm rest of the couch, her petite legs sprawled out and barely touching Harry's leg.

"You have no idea who you are messing with, do you?" Harry joked. "You know, I took down Voldemort," he bragged, again jokingly. He leaned over her, his body nearly on top of hers and then he tickled her tummy. She didn't expect it and she laughed and Harry then swiftly reached behind her and snagged the picture as Persephone covered her face with her hands in sheer embarrassment. Harry quirked an odd eyebrow at her but then he looked down at the photo. It was an Auror alright, a crap one at that, and one that Harry had personally sacked after he earned the nickname in the office of, "Jinx." That wasn't what bothered Harry though. What bothered him was the fact that Jinx looked an awful lot like he himself. They both had dark hair and glasses, but the more shocking part of it all was the fact that Jinx was actually two years older than Harry. Not younger.

"I thought you said that age mattered?" Harry asked inquisitively.

"It does. I've always had a thing for older men." Harry's eyebrows flew up. "I know what you're thinking; I had a terrible father so I'm looking for a father figure. As a healer that is what I would be inclined to believe too, except it's not the case. I just prefer the qualities of an older wizard over a younger one. It's just a preference, that's all. That, and I find some older men sexy," she said blushing.

"Like who?"

"Well, if you promise not to rat me out I will tell you that I used to have quite the crush on my father-in-law."

"Draco?" Harry laughed.

"Yeah. I once caught Mum and Dad Malfoy having sex, well twice I think but who's counting. Anyways, I was so caught off guard in that he seemed to know what he was doing in that arena, much more so than Scorpius."

"That's really…You don't have to tell me _everything_," Harry said feeling slightly queasy.

"I know it's demented, so I was beyond pleased when his image was replaced with Merlin. Not the young Merlin, nor the old Merlin, but the middle-aged Merlin. That image lasted a long time."

"When you say image, what do you mean per say?"

"That's normal though right, for a woman to fantasize about shagging a wizard other than her husband."

_Silence_

"Damn I hope not. I'd hate to think that the woman I'm making love to is thinking about someone else."

"Well that would never happen with you. I mean you're Harry, this like amazingly kind and noble wizard and your magic feels like a warm butterbeer on a cold winter's night. I bet you hear that a lot though, don't you?"

_Silence_

"No. Nobody has ever told me that they could feel my magic like that, nor have they ever described it like that. You can feel my magic?"

"Yeah, I mean, I'm sure Ginny did, or maybe it's just a healer thing. When you stopped me from doing one of the stupidest things I've ever done-I felt your magic holding me. It was all around me Mr. Potter."

"Harry."

"Yeah, Harry," Persephone said in an almost giddy way that Harry felt his own cheeks flush in humble embarrassment. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm nutters, huh? This is getting kind of weird for you now isn't it? The problem is, when I get nervous like this, my mouth won't stop. I just keep right on digging the hole deeper. It's a horrible quality to have, where you just can't stop your mouth," Persephone said and she rubbed her palms on her jeans as if they were beginning to sweat.

"So your marriage," Harry said slowly leaning over. "You going to work at?" he asked in a low voice.

"No, it's over with us," she said as she too began to lean in closer. He knew that he should stop himself, but it felt so natural to kiss her. So he did. She moaned during their kiss and Harry was overcome with feelings, feelings of a carnal nature, feelings that he had long since abandoned ever since the day Ginny walked out on him. It was wrong, so wrong. He had a good fifteen, or more years on her. Hell, she was only a year or two older than his daughter and yet, when his lips brushed against hers all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hold her, protect her. Hell, he wanted her.

"I'm sorry," Harry said and he pulled back and stood from the sofa. "I had no right whatsoever—"

"Are you mad? I need a good snogging right now," she said and she literally jumped into his arms as their lips met in a frenzied assault of lust and need. That's when they both heard the front door to Serenity slam shut and they immediately broke apart.

"I took Jillian back to Hogwarts. That poor girl, getting shafted around back and forth. She misses her father terribly," Hermione said. "She and Draco were like two peas in a pod, so I know it's hitting her hard, but she is also stubborn like her father, so she won't talk to me about it, not that I mind because each time I hear his name I break down like a sobbing prat," Hermione rambled. "I'm blowing off Christmas this year, not in the mood. Jillian of course will have loads of gifts, she deserves much more. Harry are you listening?" she asked finally when she sauntered into the living room.

"Yeah, of course 'Mione. No Christmas this year."

"Harry, why are these still here? Didn't I ask you to get rid of these?" she chastised, throwing her hands on her hips and scowling when she saw the pile of marriage proposals.

"I'll take them away for you," Persephone piped in. She gave Harry a sly wink.

"I wouldn't dream of it. No, I will dispose of them, 'Mione," he said, though he was staring directly at Persephone.

"Sooner the better," Hermione said and she stared at the pair as if she was putting something together in her brain. Both Harry and Persephone noticed it too, so Harry went to work as the letters flew, one by one into the fireplace where they sparked and then turned into ash.

"Mum Malfoy, I don't quite know how to say this," Persephone stumbled for her words.

"You're leaving my rotten son, you have no place to live at the moment and you wondered if you could stay here?"

"How do you do that? And yes he is a rotten jerk along with a no good—"

"You can stay here. You will call me Hermione from now on, and don't push it Persephone, he's still my son, rotten or not."

"Yes Ma'am, I'm sorry and thank you. Oh and—"

"The Office of Records closes in about fifteen minutes if you want to end it permanently then you should get a move on."

"I love you! You are nothing like your rot—er, your son," Persephone said as she gave Hermione a peck on the cheek and then smiled at Harry, gleefully as she turned on her heels and popped out.

"So are you going to tell me what I just walked in on?" Hermione said folding her arms and scowling at Harry.

"Nothing at all 'Mione."

"You're not lying to me are you Harry?"

"Just a burning party. Oh Merlin, you are not going to believe this," Harry said when he glanced down at one of the letters on the floor and recognized the handwriting.

"Stop it, you're dodging my question."

"No, I'm serious. Look for yourself," he said and plucked the letter up and passed it to Hermione.

"It's from Ron? I'd know that sloppy handwriting from anywhere. I wonder what he wants. He already sent me an owl with his condolences. He's in Egypt now you know. He and George opened a Joke Shop there, said it's not doing very well," Hermione said and she plopped down on the sofa and tore open the letter. "Merlin." Hermione began to cry when she started to read.

"'Mione? Want me to burn it with the rest?"

"No," she said and then she began to sob uncontrollably. "His wife, she's dead. Ron is beside himself. Which one is he with now I can never remember? Is it Padme or Parvati?"

"I think it's Parv now, he goes back and forth and he and I just don't talk enough what with him being so far away. How did she die anyways?" Harry asked.

"I guess she saw a spider and she shouted the killing curse, only it wasn't a real spider it was just a toy, one of Ron's jokes."

"Don't tell me…The Ricocheter? I told Ron it wasn't a good idea to invent that particular joke. He thought it would be funny if when you cast a simple charm on something, it backfired and shot it back at you. Choosing a spider probably wasn't a good idea either, though using an Unforgivable on a spider seems like overkill to me. The Muggle way would have done just fine," Harry said.

"You mean you used to scoop it up onto the newspaper and then let it free outside too?" Hermione asked through sniffles as she waved Ron's letter in her hand.

"Eh—ok. I sort of meant a shoe. I'm sorry if that upsets you, please don't cry," Harry said feeling completely ineffective when it came to Hermione and her episodes of grief.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

His hands were in her soft, raven hair massaging her head when his orgasm hit him. He moved to pull out but her head shot forward taking him deep into the cavern of her mouth as he spilled his seed. His brow was sweating and he was panting when she looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes. "Touch me," she said and she pulled him down onto the soft floor. He collapsed on his back and then she was laying aside him as she took his hand and traced it over the curvature of her supple breasts. His masculinity took over as he cupped and squeezed her firm and perky tits. All he wanted to do at that moment was to touch and taste, lick and make love to the vision of beauty that lay beside him. Gone, were all thoughts of Lily as they laid in a tender embrace, exploring one another's bodies with their mouths and fingers. He dipped his head and lapped at her essence, her legs spread wide for him as he flicked his tongue over her core. Her face was the vision of beauty when he brought her to climax and his cock sprang to life once more as he moved between her legs and guided himself towards her entrance. "Are you sure?" he said, his voice husky and wanting. She nodded to him.

"Oh," she cried out and she winced when he entered her. Worried, Luke stopped.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Yes, but it is a good hurt. Make love to me, man with the golden eyes. I have longed for this," she said and she wrapped loving arms and legs around his body. He dreamed about the moment for years, alone in his bed, late at night, but no thought or vision of what it might have been like even came close to matching the intensity of the actual act as he pushed himself deeper into her wet, welcoming cave.

"You feel incredible," he groaned as he picked up the pace, his hips rolling into her.

"Yes, love, yes," she cried out their bodies rocking together in unison as his deep thrusts impaled her with his cock. At her encouraging cries, Luke lost it as he rode the wave of euphoria. She was moaning in his ear as he cradled her tight in his arms and fucked her with everything he felt inside. When they were both spent they collapsed together in an embrace and sleep found them.

"I hope I wasn't too terribly disappointing," he said with a chuckle when they both awoke. The fire had burned itself out sometime whilst they slept but the embers kept the tree home toasty and warm.

"I do not understand?" she said and she swept the hair from his eyes as she propped herself up on his chest, admiring him.

"That was my first time," he admitted.

"It was a first for me also."

"I thought so. The way it hurt you. I'm sorry," he said kissing her fingers.

"Do not be sorry Golden One, for I am not sorry. I am glad," she said with a wide smile.

"Luke, alright. Everyone calls me Luke."

"But your eyes. I have never seen one with gold in their eyes."

"Just the same, you can call me Luke. If you keep calling me Golden One I might get a fat head—like my brother Scorpius," he threw in as an afterthought.

"If that is what you wish, Luke," she said and then she kissed him. "And maybe some day i can be your sun, moon and stars? Teya is what you should call me then. It means in your words, Yours," she said innocently and Luke kissed her supple lips.

"Then you shall be Teya, who is brighter than any sun, moon or star and more beautiful than Aphrodite herself." She seemed confused, but happy nonetheless when Luke hugged her tight against him.

"She's calling me. I must go," she said and she cringed and her hand shot to her forehead.

"Please, what is it? What hurts?" Luke asked, concerned.

"I have to go."

"Then I'll go with you Teya," Luke said with urgent need and he stood and threw his legs into his pants.

"No! You must not follow me. The door to your world is that way," she said and she pointed to the viny area of the tree where honeysuckles bloomed with life. "You must promise me Luke," she said with a pained expression. "You will not go through the other door."

"What is through the other door? The realm of the Fae? Is this the entrance? Do you know anything about my father?" he asked in rapid fire and he gripped her by the arms, probably harder than he meant to.

"You must promise! You must," she said in a panic as she pleaded with him.

"Alright, shhh. I won't go through."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise if it makes you feel better. Hey, when will I see you again? My father? Teya…please if you know anything-"

"I will come to you just as soon as I can Golden—Luke," she said and she gave him a last lingering hug before she slipped through the other side of the giant tree in an area where the bark was singed and burnt in appearance, as she disappeared out of sight.

Review!?

For those who need a little hint on D&H (not much of one but definitely a hint) I did some foreshadowing in an early chapter, particularly concerning Draco's bogart fear. That is all I will give away. You will all like it though, especially if you have read my earlier Broomsticks stories. I have some amazing stuff coming up!


	9. The Merlin Sleek

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Nine

"Have you completely lost all your marbles, or does your dick do all your thinking for you these days?" Blaise said angrily when Scorpius waltzed into the Ministry and entered the Minister of Magic's office—Draco's office. Blaise was sitting behind his desk, his face marred with deep worry lines. "Shut the door Scorpius. Sit down," he said and he shot Scorpius a scathing look.

"Look, if you called me here to tell me what an idiot I am over all that shit that went down at my father's funeral, then just save your breath. I know I'm an idiot."

"Idiot is not the word that comes to mind. Complete imbecile, masochist, daft and stupid—"

"I don't have to listen to this. My wife won't accept my owls and my brother is probably in his potions lab right now brewing some new Elixir of Death, designed just for me," he said and he turned to leave.

"Do you have any idea how this effects our business arrangement?" Blaise asked and Scorpius stopped short and whirled around on his Uncle. He could have sworn that he saw steam rising in white puffs from his Uncle's ears. Blaise was blazing mad.

"I never wanted to do it in the first place! You are the one who came to me, remember?"

"Yeah, well I clearly put my galleons down on the wrong horse. Your brother Luke would have been the wiser choice. Hell, as is I could probably get the Prophet to play up the angle in a way that would benefit Luke in the popularity polls."

"Then do it! Scrap me and get Luke to fill in for Dad's position."

"If I could, I would. Only Draco himself could change it now. Unfortunately, the wizarding world is stuck with you as their fill-in Minister. Scorpius, what in the fuck were you thinking?"

"You just gave me chills. You sounded like my father just then," Scorpius mumbled as he collapsed on the leather sofa in Draco's office. Being there, amidst all his father's things, his awards and accomplishments enshrined on placards upon the wall overhead, Scorpius found himself longing for Draco. He needed his Dad. A tear trickled from the corner of his eye and he quickly wiped it away.

"I'm sorry I shouted at you. I was too harsh. Draco would have put me in my place for speaking to you in such a manner. Please accept my apology."

"It was deserved," Scorpius replied.

"What happened?" Blaise asked and Scorpius looked up into Blaise's face and found compassion where only loathing existed a moment earlier. He needed to unload. Hell, he needed his father, but Blaise was going to have to do as he spilled his guts.

_I guess it started right after the ceremony. Persephone had graduated at the top of her class and she was honored by the Healers of St. Mungo's and rewarded a prestigious position as Junior Head Healer. I was thrilled for her, beyond thrilled, I was proud. She'd earned it. All the weeks and months of intense studying, all the promises that she was buried in her work and that she would make it up to me later—I believed her. Broken dates, the brush off each time my team would lose and I'd apparrate back to our home with thoughts of holding her and forgetting all about the bloody match. Just a hug, you know? Just a "Hey, I'm sorry you lost, you'll do better next time." All she cared about though was her research and her patients. Her head was in a healer journal and she barely looked up to see me when I popped in. When she finally did look up, I could see on her face that my mere presence was an annoyance, that whatever she was reading, she was thoroughly engrossed in it._

_Luke was living with us at the time. He was working twelve hour days trying to put Malfoy Potions Plus on the map, and trying to create a monopoly on the market, so he was rarely ever there which left me pretty much alone on the rare occasions that I was home. So I meandered into the living room and plopped down on the couch and did the only thing that I could do. I opened the howler from my coach as I sat there alone. That's when Lily waltzed through the door, giddy with excitement. She had been rooting for the opposing team, and had apparently been in attendance to see me lose. When she heard the howler her face dropped and she sat down next to me and patted me on the leg._

"_You know you were really good tonight Scorpius," she lied. I appreciated the lie nonetheless._

"_The Wronskei feint is such an old move—so old that I forgot about it. I should have seen it coming. Instead, I lost to one of the worst Seekers in the entire Quidditch organization." I was mad at myself for being so stupid._

"_Yeah you should have anticipated it. He's done the move at every match for the last six matches in a row. It's all the aging windbag has left in him. Hell, he's the reason we've lost all the previous games. Word is they were planning to replace him."_

"_Gee thanks, Lily, you really know how to make a bloke feel better. Perhaps you'd like to get a spoon from the kitchen and gauge out my eyeballs in order to feed on at the victory party for bloody Ireland," I said sarcastically. I was surprised when Lily laughed. Persephone would have been wounded and she would have padded off to sulk. My humor tended to put her off, or even hurt her at times which was never my expressed intent._

"_Nah, word on the street is that Ireland prefers to let the hovering buzzards do all the dirty work for them while they dance around the Seeker's picked over remains with their pints of Guiness in hand. It's a jolly good time at their victory parties, so I hear at least," she replied with a straight face. I couldn't help it. I appreciated the well timed cut down and I bellowed with laughter. It was exactly what I didn't expect, and exactly what I needed. Lily laughed along with me. "Lighten up alright?" she said and she swept a hand across my forehead, raking the hair from my eyes as she stared at me with warm jade eyes. "You're the best Seeker in the league. You had a bad night, that's all."_

"_Maybe you're right. Bit embarrassed that you caught me like this. Fuck the Irish," I said, feeling my confidence return, all thanks to Lily._

"_Yeah, I mean crying in your drink won't help, right? Or at least if you're intent on doing that, then it better be one good drink," she said and she reached into her bag and produced a bottle of fire whiskey._

"_I had no idea that Luke's little Pristine Princess would carry Fire Whiskey in her prissy purse."_

"_Yeah well perhaps this pristine princess is a seer and knew that she would arrive here only to find that her perfect Prince Luke had stood her up yet again in favor of a potion bottle, and that perhaps this pristine seer knew that the fragile ego of his famous, older brother, the washed up Seeker from Puddlemere United, might need a good stiff drink after he was tricked by the Wrongskei Feint," Lily retorted as she uncapped the bottle and took a gulping swig. She smiled and I shook my head. How in the hell could my little brother be so stupid as to stand this woman up, I asked to myself? Any woman who could not only stand my warped sense of humor, but who could stand up to my warped sense of humor, was aces in my book, so I took the bottle and tilted it back._

_Lily was a lady, albeit a sometimes loud and obnoxious lady, and after a couple of drinks whilst she waited for Luke to arrive home, she decided to leave. I was feeling good after our visit and a bit tipsy, so I tried yet again to gain the attention of my wife when I asked her to come to bed. She didn't even hear me. It was as if I was invisible. I told myself that Persephone was just trying to make a name for herself. It wasn't easy being married to me, and I knew she always felt like she was taking a back seat to my fans or my career, so I wanted this for her. I kissed her on the cheek and I went to bed where I tossed and turned. I couldn't get Lily out of my mind that night and I hated myself for it. She was Luke's, I knew that. I had no earthly right to have the type of thoughts about her that I was._

"Ah, I see," Blaise said. "So then what, the same sort of thing happened again, only this time you were away from home at Quidditch and…" Blaise said.

"No. That isn't how it happened."

_It was a month later when I ran into her again. The new Merlin Sleek broom had come out, so I got to the shop in the wee hours of the early morning when it was still dark outside, so that I could be sure to nab the broom first when it hit the shelves. Nobody knew for sure or not whether the Diagon Alley Quidditch Shop would have the brooms in stock or not, as it's an all-out war when a decent broom comes out, and because of the time it takes to craft such a sleek and perfect broom, usually the brooms are slow to reach the public. I of course have my sources, and an owl told me that the one and only Merlin Sleek was to be sold at the Quidditch Shop in Hogsmeade, so I got on my broom and shot off into the skies, bound for Hogsmeade._

_The snow was falling when I arrived in the sleepy little town and it was a beautiful sight as I landed my broom on the fresh powdery snow. The lights were off in the Quidditch Shop when I arrived so I stood there, unsure as to what I should do. The lights from the castle loomed in the distance and I was reminded of my days at Hogwarts as I stood in the falling snow, alone outside the Quidditch Shop._

"_Scorpius, is that you?" I heard someone say and then Lily was waving to me from the entranceway of the Three Broomsticks. She trudged through the snow as she made her way over to me and I greeted her cordially. "What in Merlin's name are you doing out here?" she asked. She was wearing a white parka and boots and the tip of her nose was red from the cold. Her eyes sparkled in the luminous light of the street lamps and she was the vision of beauty on that cold winter's night._

"_Oh, just you know, taking in the sights."_

"_Taking in the sights? Come on, you have to do better than that."_

"_No really, I was er—Jillian needed something…Quills…"I lied. "So I offered to bring them to her since Mum and Dad were so busy with work."_

"_Quills huh? And you're sticking to that story?" she asked and she smirked._

"_Yeah," I said feeling stupid as I reached down and packed a snowball in my hands and then tossed it at her. She whizzed one back at me and then before we knew it we were having a full on snowball fight in the barren streets of Hogsmeade. It was fun, and we were both having a good time as we made our way inside the Three Broomsticks and ordered a couple of butterbeers._

"_You never told me why it is that you are here?"_

"_Albus..He needed extra parchment. Ran out. Dad's so broken up over my Mum leaving to be with that filthy gypsy, that I didn't want to bother him with it."_

"_Is that right?" I asked with a rising smirk._

"_Mmm," she lied as she sipped on her butterbeer, the frothy foam from the top of the glass was sticking to her lip. She had a butterbeer mustache, which I couldn't help but find adoringly cute. I don't know what propelled me to do it, but I reached over and with my thumb I wiped the mustache away, my digit gliding slowly over her soft, pink lips. Our eyes met and I gulped before I pulled my hand back. _

"_Well, I should be going," I said nervously and I stood to leave. The Quidditch Shop would be opening soon and being so close to Lily was messing with my head._

"_Yeah, I'm leaving too," she said and she stood and followed behind me. I held the door open for her and then I quickened my pace to pass her when I saw her making a bee line to the Quidditch Shop, just as the shop owner arrived and opened the store. _

"_Parchment eh?" I asked as I jogged past her._

"_Quills my arse," she said as she picked up her pace. The snow was several inches deep, but even so we were in a foot race to reach the Quidditch Shop. I beat her, but not by much as the bell on the door jangled and I shook off the snowflakes that had landed on my head._

"_I hear that you might have a Merlin Sleek," I said with confidence to the shop owner._

"_I might," the merchant replied with a grin._

"_I'd like to buy it."_

"_It's five hundred galleons," the merchant said and he reached under the counter and pulled out the brand new broom. I reached into my overcoat and pulled out a bag of galleons as I began to count out five hundred._

"_Do you have more than one?" Lily asked._

"_Afraid not, Missy. They only sent me the one. Come back in a few weeks and I'll have more," he said and he patted her hand. She looked miffed and I smirked at her knowing I'd bested her._

"_I'll give you a thousand galleons for it," she then said and my jaw hit the floor._

"_Well, that changes things," the merchant said and Lily was then beaming._

"_Two thousand," I said and that's when a serious bidding war began._

"_Five thousand," she said toppling my bid by staggering amounts._

"_Ten," I shot back._

"_You prat," she said and she was fuming._

"_I'm a Malfoy. Did you really think that you could outbid me?"_

"_I'm a Potter, and we have money too," she said and then with misty eyes she looked down at the ring on her finger. It was a sparkling garnet on a silver band. It clearly meant something to her but she slipped it off._

"_I didn't bring more than ten thousand galleons, but I can throw in this ring. My father gave it to me and I don't want to part with it, but tryouts for Quidditch are coming up and I need all the leg up that I can get. Ten thousand and this ring," she said and she slapped the ring down on the counter and then she spilled out the contents of her purse as galleons rolled off the counter and fell onto the floor. I myself didn't have more than ten either, at least not in the pouch I'd brought. I gazed out the window and saw the bank merchant pulling open the shade to the Wizard's bank of Hogsmeade. I had an account there, and thousands of galleons awaited only just across the street. I could have overbid her, but the look in her eyes…I wanted that broom, but Lily…needed it._

"_Too rich for me. That's highway robbery," I said and I feigned being insulted as I plucked my bag of galleons from the counter and stuffed them back in my coat._

"_Yes!" she shouted for joy and she grabbed the broom off the counter and started out the door. "Come on Scorpius, I at least owe you a ride. Besides, I know you're dying to try it," she said with bubbling enthusiasm. _

"_Yeah, be right there," I said and then when she left out the door I turned to the shopkeeper._

"_How much for the ring?" _

"_Well, I would have to think," the merchant said laying his finger upon his nose._

"_Well think fast before you lose my business permanently," I said annoyed._

"_Being that the Great Harry Potter gave her the ring, and that it's possible that with the only Merlin Sleek broom she could become a bigger Quidditch sensation than even yourself… I would have to say…Oh…ten thousand galleons ought to do it_

"_That really is highway fucking robbery you thief!"_

"_Take it or leave it." I cursed as I slid the bag of gold galleons across the counter and then pocketed the ring. We spent the afternoon out on the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts practicing. I taught her a few moves that really seemed to help and she let me have a go on the Merlin Sleek. It was a nice broom, light and fast, but it was really more suited for Lily, so in the end I decided that I didn't even want it. I thought it was sweet though that she offered to share it with me. She even wanted to come up with a schedule so that we could pass the broom off to one another. It was a real nice day playing Quidditch with Lily._

"Did you give her back the ring?" Blaise asked, cutting straight to the question at hand.

"I wanted to. I almost did."

"What stopped you?"

"Luke. How would it look if I gave my brother's girl a ring that was so special to her as I knew it was?"

"I see your point."

"I even tried to pull a fast one on my little brother when he went shopping for rings. He wanted to surprise Lily with an engagement ring, so I gave the jeweler the ring, suggested that he add a couple of diamonds to it to jazz it up, with the idea that he could show it to Luke and you know, urge him to buy it for her."

"Did he?"

"No. He chose some other ring that meant more to him and that he thought she would like. I did try to urge him towards the other one when the prick jeweler sucked at his job. I knew which ring Lily would like, but how do you tell your brother that? I love my brother. This is all so fucked up."

"What did you do with the ring?"

"It's in my vault at Gringott's."

"Well, in light of recent events…Why not give it to her?" Blaise asked.

"Because she doesn't love me. She's in love with Luke still."

"I'm sorry, Scorpius. Look, there was another reason that I called you here. A second petition was made by the Fae. It didn't come through proper channels and it was denied…Only the Office of the Minister of Magic would know this, and in so, that means me, and you now. I'm not sure what to make of this, but I think, I'm not sure, but—"

"Just say it. There is nothing that you can tell me that could be worse than anything I've experienced in the last few days and weeks."

"Your father is either alive, or one hundred percent dead. Only the Minister of Magic could have denied this petition. See for yourself," Blaise said and Scorpius's eyes went wide.

"It's shredded. I don't see anything here but a bunch of paper shreds."

"No, see here at the top…The seal is from the Fae. It's the same parchment as the first petition. It was denied and only Draco could have done it."

"Then he's alive! Luke was right."

"Scorpius," Blaise said morosely. "The Fae promised vengeance after the first petition was denied. What do you think they would do if they had him, and he denied it a second time?"

"Then we have to grant it. We have to open up the realm," Scorpius said.

"And go against your father's wishes? There's a reason he shredded this, Scorpius. I think we should honor his decision and if any more petitions come forth you should deny it outright."

"If my father is alive then I want the realm opened up now! We can organize a search party. We can go in after him. If there is a chance…I have to tell my Mum. She will know what to do," Scorpius said.

"Your Mum just buried her husband. What if Draco is dead, the plausibility of it is something that you must not deny. Do you want your Mum to feel the loss of losing Draco twice?"

"Well I can't just bloody sit here and do nothing. If he is alive then he might not have much time. We have to get into the realm."

"How?"

"I dunno. I think I need to pay a visit to the Black Caverns. My grandmother owns the land. Perhaps she knows something. I have to go!"

Review!"


	10. Blessings

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Ten

It was sad, but Persephone knew that she had to do it. Scorpius had owled several times asking for a face to face meeting, but in the end she decided that it would hurt too much and she declined his invitation. There was too much done, too much said and with the baby in the equation, Persephone knew that the right thing to do was to sacrifice her marriage in order to pave the way for Scorpius to finally have the family he'd always wanted. Besides, she was in better spirits after her smoldering kiss with Harry Potter. It had been a full three days and she was eager to hear from him.

"Delivery," a small goblin said as he pushed through the door of the examining room.

"Have you ever heard of knocking? I could have been with a patient," she said as she opened the door and then smiled when she saw the prettiest bouquet of wildflowers in a rose colored vase. The goblin thrust them into her hands and then he folded his arms and waited. "Oh, hold on, I almost forgot," she said as she reached for her purse and then slapped a few galleons down into the goblin's hand. She eagerly tore into the card, but then frowned when she saw that it was from her husband. She took out her quill and scrawled a quick note on it. It said simply, _Scorpius it's over. Move on and let me do the same_. She attached the divorce decree and the note to the talons of an owl and watched it fly away. When Scorpius received it, their marriage would in essence be over.

"Oh, I'm sorry Miss, I didn't know you were in here," one of the volunteers said as they burst through the doors to the examining room. "I was sent to fetch the _Unpregnant Elixir_ for healer Helga."

"Gods not again. I respect a woman's right to choose, but I don't like administering that stuff. It's not natural. Anyways, it's in the pantry," Persephone pointed but then she cocked her head. "Each examining room has its own pantry, so why does Healer Helga need the elixir?"

"Special circumstances," the volunteer witch said. "It's a high profile patient. She had to sneak her in the back so nobody would see her."

"That's not protocol and I have more seniority than Helga. Which room are they in?" Persephone demanded.

"Room eighty-four, Miss."

"Thank you," Persephone said and she snatched the elixir from the volunteer's hands and flew out the door.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"You read all the literature, and signed in all the appropriate places, so it looks like we can administer the elixir just as soon as it arrives," Healer Helga said with a polite smile.

"The sooner the better," Lily said and a tear trickled down her cheek.

"It's against the rules to treat a patient in any room that is not a proper examining room," Persephone said as she threw the door open and walked through private room, eight-four. She stopped in her tracks when she saw her there though and Lily just wanted to die on the spot.

"I'm sorry Persephone, but due to the circumstances—"

"You should have come to me and asked," Persephone said angrily.

"Yes, I know and I am sorry. I just thought that—"

"Oh, I know what you thought, but you were wrong. Leave now and I won't put this offense in your permanent record."

"Yes Healer Malfoy," Helga said as she quickly left the room.

"What are you doing?" Persephone said in accusatory tones.

"I'm ending my pregnancy; I think it's pretty clear. Now, I signed all the documents so please administer the potion."

"No," Persephone said and she threw her hands on her hips.

"Look, I'm sorry that I slept with your husband. I feel worse than crap about it."

_Slap_

Persephone slapped her hard across the face and Lily's cheek stung.

"Did Scorpius agree to this?"

"No, but it's not his decision is it? I know the law."

"You little bitch. You shag my husband, get yourself knocked up and then you plan to just get rid of it as if it were a zit on your face?"

"You have every reason to hate me Persephone, but I'm trying to do right here. If this problem goes away then you and Scorpius can repair the damage to your marriage. I've thought about this and this is the only way."

"I divorced Scorpius. He should be getting the papers right about now. Look," Persephone said and she relaxed as she sat down on the bed next to Lily. "My marriage wasn't in good shape. We fell in love too young, but over the years we grew apart. We grew different. I'm not going to pretend that it didn't hurt like hell seeing you snogging my husband at the funeral, but it was something that I think I had to see with my own two eyes."

"Merlin, you saw that? I am a home wrecking whore," Lily said and tears freefell down her face. "I don't want to be like my Mum. I think its shit what she did to my father. I can't believe I let this happen!"

"Lily, do you want children?"

"What?" Lily asked as if caught off guard.

"I mean if the circumstances were right, do you want kids?"

"Yeah, loads of them. I obviously didn't intend to start a family in this way though."

"Then why are you here? For me? For your reputation? For your job? For Luke? What? Why do you want this elixir?" she asked and she held out the potion bottle and held it up for Lily to see.

"I—" Lily found herself at a loss for words.

"I want to show you something," Persephone said and she reached for her wand and pointed it at Lily's abdomen. Lily froze up, frightened. Persephone saw her fear but she continued anyways as she chanted an incantation over her belly.

"Look up Lily," Persephone said and Lily turned her eyes upwards.

"Is that?" she was at a loss for words as she saw the image of a tiny baby, no bigger than a pixie.

"That's your baby. Now, it's my job to give you this elixir if that is what you want. I will give it to you here and now, but if you want kids, then you should think about it some more. Scorpius, for all of his faults and annoying habits, will make a good father. I never doubted that, even if I didn't want kids of my own." Lily watched as Persephone stared up at the baby, and her eyes misted over. "That's Scorpius's baby," Persephone said and she wiped her tears away with her wrist. She turned back to Lily at that. "He wants children so badly Lily."

"You are an amazing person Persephone. What he and I did to you—and you sit here and counsel and comfort me like a mother? I think it's you who would have made a right good Mum."

"Well thank you, but my patients' are where my interests lie. Lily, do you love Scorpius?"

"I don't know," Lily said and she stared down unable to look Persephone in the eye. "I think so."

"I saw the way he looked at you. He's in love with you," Persephone said through choked words, as if she was biting back the pain. "Do you want me to administer the elixir or do you perhaps want to wait and think about it some more?" Lily gazed up at the tiny head and the budding arms and legs of her unborn child as it wriggled about, hovering in the air above them, as Persephone held her wand on her stomach and she knew in that instant that she couldn't do it.

"I don't want the elixir. Gods, what am I going to do?"

"I can't answer that for you, but I'm willing to make you a deal," Persephone said and she appeared nervous to Lily. "I will give you my blessing where Scorpius is concerned, if you give me yours in regards to your father." Lily's eyebrows flew up.

"My Dad? You and my Dad?"

"I don't know yet. It's still too new to know, but…I don't think that we should hide things from each other anymore. The shock of it hurts people immensely. So what do you think?"

"I think that my Dad would be very lucky to have someone like you. You have my blessing," Lily said and she was a crying mess as she leaned up and threw her arms around Persephone's neck, hugging her. "Gods, that would be weird having to call you Mum," Lily said and both women began to giggle.

Neither saw the door that was cracked open slowly close. Had they seen it, they would have seen Harry Potter standing in the hallway beaming from ear to ear.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

Jillian dragged her book bag down the halls of Hogwarts and in each dark corner of the school, she was met with the sights and sounds of snogging couples. The girls were all buxom and beautiful and they always had a sea of mates who followed them about and who hung on their every word. That's when the idea came to her. She was tired of being plain Jillian, unnoticed Jillian and she longed to be held by a boy. She felt empty inside since losing her Dad and Albus, well, she saw the way he looked at the older girls even if he tried to hide it from her out of respect. She made her way into the fifth floor corridor loo and then she hit herself with an engorgement charm once again. Her bust grew three sizes and it popped one of her buttons on her white button up. She smiled and then she rolled the top of her skirt down so a good three or more inches of belly showed and then she tied her shirt into a knot. Her knee socks had to go so she rolled those down too so that her bare legs were clearly visible. She twisted her hair into a tight ponytail that sat high on her head and then she pulled out her makeup case and began to apply some blush and eye shadow. She remembered how Jessie had done it and she tried to copy what she'd seen her do. When she was done, she was transformed and she smiled at what she saw in the mirror. "If this doesn't make the boys' notice me, then I don't know what will," she said as she slung her book bag over her shoulder and exited the loo.

"Damn, you look hot," a sixth year boy from Hufflepuff said as she passed by him in the hall. Jillian smirked and winked and then he was trailing her.

"Arthur Bones," he said and Jillian smiled at the boy.

"So?" she said coyly.

"So, I was thinking. You have a date for the dance yet?"

"Maybe," she said cryptically. "But I might be inclined to change that if you are asking me as your date," she said.

"Hell yeah," he said. "Hey, what's your name and what year are you in?"

"Jill, and I'm a fifth year," she lied.

"You're super-hot. So we on for the dance next week?"

"Sure, why not." _Yes_, she congratulated herself as she perfected her new, sexy walk. When she passed by Albus and a group of his mates she saw Albus's jaw hit the floor. She tossed her hair and turned away as she entered her third year Transfiguration class.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Teya had crept into the attic room sometime during the night and Luke woke up to her straddling him as she caressed his bare chest with her soft, warm hands. "I can't stand it there any longer. I want to always be here with you," she said and Luke moaned when she sat down over him taking him deep inside her body. She rocked over him, lovingly, making love to him as he gripped her hourglass hips and rammed himself upwards, forcing himself deeper inside her.

"Merlin, Teya, you are blowing my mind," he said as the sensations came hard and fast as she rocked over him with frantic need.

"I love this feel, I never want it to stop," she said and Luke felt her womanly juices engulf his member. He exploded inside her, unable to hold back as she bucked over top of him, her breasts bouncing in his face. They collapsed together in a heap of flesh on the bed. He had so many questions that he wanted to ask her, but it wasn't just Teya who needed their shared sexual release. He needed it too, so it shocked him when he awoke sometime later once again with a raging hard on. She smiled at him and then turned over on her stomach and raised her round and perfect arse into the air.

"I barely even know you and yet…I think I love you," Luke said as he gripped her by the waist and entered her from behind. She inhaled sharply when he buried his length inside her.

"There is no other for me. I don't care what Mother says, you are all that matters, Golden One. Make love to me. Fill me with your love," she begged as he thrust inside her again and again. They were four hours into a marathon sexcapade when someone burst through the door. Her arse was pancaked to the glass window, her arms and legs wound tight around him as they fucked like animals. He didn't even care if Lucius and Narcissa heard them as they groaned together. Teya had an appetite for sex that was intoxicating and yet pure of heart. He knew when she looked into his eyes and declared her love, that it was real and it was raw. She could look right through him, right into his heart too and while it scared Luke that someone could do that, it also intrigued him.

"Bloody hell, I'm sorry. I'll wait outside. Luke this can't wait till morning," Luke heard the voice of his brother Scorpius say, but he didn't care as he plowed into his woman who was crying out his name as her orgasm fast approached.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"You have to wrap the bed sheet around you Teya. My brother wants to talk to me. Ordinarily I'd tell him to fuck off and die, but he says it's urgent. I'm going to let him in, don't be afraid alright? I won't let anything happen to you," Luke said when he saw the frightened look on Teya's face.

"I trust you," she said and she wrapped the sheets around her body and then scooted into the middle of the bed, tucking her legs under her chin. When she was covered up, Luke opened the door. "This better be good, as you can see, you are intruding on something private."

"Uh, yeah, I see that," the blond bit out and he cast a quick glance at Teya. "Bro, you have lovebites all over you. Might want to clear those up before Grandma and Grandpa see them," Scorpius said as he sauntered into the room. Luke huffed as he buckled his trousers and closed the door.

"Did you come here to talk about love bites? If so you can leave now," he said shortly.

"No, man. Look, I'm sorry as shit about what happened and I'm just happy as hell for you that you have someone," he said and he turned to Luke with pleading eyes.

"Teya," Luke squeezed in next to her on the bad and wrapped a protective arm around her, "This is my lowlife brother, Scorpius."

"He is one who hurt you? One who took away your sun, moon and stars?" she asked with narrowed eyes on the blond.

"Yeah, he is," Luke said and he raked his hands through her raven hair and looked softly into her eyes. "But if he hadn't, then I wouldn't have found you, sweet Teya." He then turned back to Scorpius. "What the fuck do you want at this hour of night?"

"I think Dad's alive," Scorpius said as if it was some new revelation.

"I know he is. If that's all you came to say then you can leave. Everyone in this house, minus Teya here, knows that Dad is alive."

"He declined a second petition from the Fae. They want the realm opened up. I can do it, and we can go in and rescue him, but I can't do it alone."

"Oh no! I must go Luke. Mother will throw him in the baths. I must go now! I can stop it," Teya said with the look of petrified fear in her eyes.

"What's she talking about, Luke?" Scorpius said urgently.

"Teya, what do you mean? Baby, tell me. It's alright. You are safe here with me," Luke said and he held her so that she could not escape.

"She will kill me if I tell. I want to tell you Golden One, I want to. I hurt when I feel your hurt," she said with a pained expression.

"Shhh, I know you do. It's alright. I'm not mad, but I do need you to help us. So you can't tell us or she will know? Just nod baby," Luke commanded. Teya nodded. "So they have my father?" she nodded again. "Should we open the realm and go get him?" she nodded a firm no to him.

"Ask her how we get in then," Scorpius said, pacing the attic room.

"Shut up, Scorpius. I already know how to get in. The tree, right Teya?"

"No, you promised," she said and she crawled up onto him and pressed herself against him, her head lying over his heart. "The Fae concentrations are too thick by the tree. It isn't safe. There is another way though," Teya said, her voice shaking. Luke held her tight and soothed her.

"Luke, Blaise thinks that if he's alive that he doesn't have much time. Can you get her to, you know…talk faster?" Scorpius said.

"She's bloody scared, can't you see that? Get out and I'll talk to her. She's probably trembling because she doesn't like the sight of you. Nor do I. Leave!"

~~~~~~0~~~~~

Review!?

Next chapter Draco and Hermione storylines. With so many different storylines I can't begin to fit them all into each new chapter…so…If you don't see the storyline that you wanted to see in this chapter, then you probably will see it in the next chapter. There is still a long way to go in this fic. So far as the Scorpius haters, I appreciate your opinion. That doesn't mean I share it though. It's pretty obvious if you've read my other stories that I am partial to Luke over Scorpius, but I do also love Scorpius, as I do Persephone and Lily and all of the characters, and each for different reasons. So I won't be offended if you cast Scorpius down a well and forget about him, but not everybody will have the same opinion, and in the end the story is the story, so I can only tell it as I see it. I do find it strange though that Nathaniel, who was truly evil to D&H in Bedfellows was accepted by the end of Big Apple or at least by the end of Gauntlet, but a guy cheats on his wife and BAM he is worse than an evil mage who mind rapes people lol I am not judging, I actually really do find it interesting as a writer to know what limits readers have. One of y'all reviewers mentioned my, "almost cheated on Hermione" scene with Draco and Ginny back in Bedfellows, and I do remember the haters throwing rocks at me for writing that scene now that I think about it, so I shouldn't have been surprised by the reaction to Scorpius and yet I was, dumbly. I mean, as a writer I like redemption storylines too, just like I like fantasy, just like I like some sizzling smut and some serious romance, which you will undoubtedly see between D&H before this is all said and done, though the road to getting there will be full of huge bumps and it may kick up some rocks that some of you will be inclined to throw at me. Psst it'll be ok LOL


	11. De-Gnoming

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Eleven

Hermione awoke and she did as she'd always done. She shimmied over, and flopped a lazy arm over the middle of the bed, intent on snuggling up to Draco, but when her hand hit air she popped her eyes open. The grim reality of her situation was once again hanging over her like a dark rain cloud. "Dragon, I miss you so much," she said and she stared at the picture of them, the one that was taken at the tavern on their first wedding night. She was too numb to cry, so she just stared at it. _How do you say goodbye to someone that was literally as much a part of you as your own right hand?_ Nobody could understand what she was going through and that she felt as if her heart had literally been split into. She threw the pillow over her face and wished for the dawning day to just go away. Each day she had to live without the snarky blond at her side, in her bed and just in her world, was agonizing. Each morning that she awoke to find a pile of letters from adorning, lustful wizards, who all wanted to date and or marry a former war hero and first lady of the wizarding world, made her want to vomit. It was just more of a reminder that Draco was gone and that she had lost the only man in the world that she would ever love-could ever love.

"Morning Mum-er-Hermione," Persephone said when Hermione, dressed in a robe and slippers made her way into the kitchen. "I made some tea and scones. There is fresh squeezed orange juice on the table," she said brightly.

"Not really hungry," she muttered and then she was shocked when she saw the living room empty of envelopes. _Perhaps the ridiculous sods has finally given up and would stop pestering her_, she thought to herself.

"I burned them before you got down here," Persephone said as if she had sensed what she was thinking. Hermione nodded her approval.

"You seem in good spirits today. Something I should know about?" Hermione asked, not really sure if she wanted to know, but feeling obligated to ask her former daughter in-law, who as of late had become something of a caretaker and a close friend.

"That's because I have a date," the young woman said and she could hardly contain herself as she plopped down in the seat next to Hermione and then proceeded to pour Hermione a cup of tea. "You have to eat," she said and she placed a fresh scone in front of her and nodded for her to take a bite. "I've seen patients who lose their spouse and then just like that," she snapped her fingers, "The grief of it all takes them right down the rabbit hole with their dearly departed. Dead. Gone. They lose the will to live. It's very sad. Now eat up," Persephone said and Hermione rolled her eyes but then reluctantly took a bite of food.

"There are days that I feel as if I don't want to go on without Draco, so I can understand how they feel," Hermione admitted.

"I know you do, but that's why I'm here—to peck at you like a mother hen," Persephone smiled. "Soon we will have you back in form. I sort of miss the way you used to tell me to shut up when I was rambling endlessly. I mean, sometimes it irked it me, but we both know that I can at times-"

"Persephone, shut up," Hermione said as she sipped off her tea.

"See! Just like that. I'd probably be cross with anyone else, but when you do it it's normal."

"I'm fine, alright? You don't have to fuss over me. Now tell me about this date. Seems a little soon, but then who am I to judge?"

"I have a date with Harry tonight," Persephone said and Hermione choked as she spat out her tea.

"Harry Potter? Is that the Harry you mean?"

"Yes, the magnificent Harry Potter," Persephone said swooning.

"Did he cast a spell on you or something?" Hermione asked and she reached forward and felt her forehead for a fever.

"No, it just sort of happened. I mean, there I was about to end it all and then he was there holding me and his magic was all over me. I've never felt so warm and so protected in all of my life. Then when we kissed, here, in the living room—"

"You kissed? Persephone isn't this moving a little fast? I knew I walked in on something the other day. I knew it. I mean, I love Harry to death but he's twice your age."

"Well, so was Draco but that never stopped me from fantasizing about him," Persephone blurted out but then she immediately covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"It's alright, I already knew," Hermione said smirking.

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew. For one, my husband was an attractive, sexy man. The sexiest. For two, we told each other everything."

"You knew I was lusting after your husband, secretly in my brain mind you, I wouldn't have ever done anything to come between you—"

"Yes, I knew. I also knew that you were just a silly, mixed up girl back then who was recently married, and dealing with a husband, my son, who was equally as immature as yourself. That and the fact that I trusted Draco, and I trusted you."

"He loved you completely. I think that is what I wanted the most. I never felt that way, not entirely, not with Scorpius."

"So you and Harry," Hermione said as if deep in thought. "I may have to let that one simmer on the brain for a bit. You know though, I think you and Harry might be a good fit. You will have to make all the moves though, you do know that right?"

"What? Why? I'm a bit shy."

"So is he."

"That doesn't make any sense though? He's this accomplished Auror who took down Voldemort for Merlin's sake. He's strong and compassionate and gorgeous."

"Yes, and he's always felt insecure when about women. Even back in our school days, Harry was never caught up with his name or title. Underneath it all Harry just wants to be loved. Ginny did him wrong, and I love Ginny, don't get me wrong. Ginny is a free spirit though, who couldn't stand the confines of a monogamous relationship. She was a woman who needed adventure."

"Yes, but talk about adventure…Harry could write the book on adventure."

"You're right, he could, but then that isn't Harry. All Harry wanted was to be normal, to be loved and to have a family. He's not into the flashy lifestyle that my son is, or that even Draco enjoyed. Harry is simple and likes simple things. He's a Gryffindor through and through."

"I like simple. I hate all the glitz that surrounds the Malfoy name. No offense—" Persephone said when Hermione cast her a dubious look.

"None taken. I on the other hand love being a Malfoy. It fits me like a glove. I wouldn't have it any other way," Hermione said and she smiled, thinking about all the outlandish things Draco, Lucius, Narcissa, Nathaniel and just all of them had gotten up to over the years. She'd often told herself that she was different from her family of mostly Slytherins, but in the end she was no different. She was a Malfoy, through and through and where Persephone felt like an outsider, Hermione was snug as a bug in a rug with being a Malfoy.

Just then a tawny owl smacked into the glass, bay window in the kitchen and Hermione rolled her eyes as she stood and opened the window. She didn't have to guess whose owl it was. Ron's.

_Dear Hermione,_

_George kicked me out the business after several of my jokes backfired on customers. I left Egypt and returned home. I'm staying at the Burrow. I'm such a failure. Hope your day is going well._

_Love,_

_Ron _

Hermione sighed when she read the letter. She would have to pay a visit to Ron.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

The Burrow looked the same. It hadn't changed much over the years, although it did look as if it was in need of some much needed repairs. When she got there she saw Ron out in the yard, so she trod out through the weeds (that was supposed to be the garden) and when he saw her, he immediately stopped what he was doing and threw his arms around her, hugging onto her for dear life. "Thank you for coming," he said through anguished sobs. "I killed her. I killed Padma."

"I thought you were married to Parvati now?"

"I was but that was after the first marriage to Pad ended. When things didn't work out with Parv I got back with Padma. Then I killed her!" Ron wailed.

"You didn't kill her. She shouldn't have been using an Unforgiveable curse on a spider to begin with."

"George told me that I'm useless at the Joke Shop and that I should just go."

"I'm sorry Ron." Seeing Ron so completely miserable, in a strange way made Hermione feel better about herself. She hated herself for feeling that way, but dealing with his grief rather than her own was a welcome diversion and she began to feel like her old self again as she bent over and assisted Ron in his De-gnoming the garden project.

"I'm bloody sorry to hear about Draco," he said as he reached down and pulled with his all of his might. The gnome finally came loose and then Ron twirled it through the air before he shucked it over the rickety, paint chipped, garden fence. "You must be a right fine mess yourself." he quipped.

"Pretty much," she said and then she fell backwards when one of the gnomes buried itself back in just as she began to pull. Mud splashed up covering her face and Ron reached down and wiped her face clean with his shirt. "Thanks," she said and she chuckled. "If Draco were here and saw that, he would have made a Mudblood joke," she said.

"Yeah, you're right he would have. He also would have told me what a complete idiot I was for making that spider joke to begin with. He would have been right too."

"Yeah, he probably would have and then I would chastise him for being rude to you."

"Yeah," Ron said and he almost smiled. "Then he and I would come to blows, and Harry would step in between us. Ah, the good ole days," Ron said with a sigh. "How did things change so fast and for the worst 'Mione?"

"I don't know, but it royally sucks doesn't it?" she said climbing to her feet and brushing the mud from her parka.

"Hermione, good to see you dear! You have a letter. It arrived through the floo," Molly shouted as she pushed the creaky screen door to the Burrow open and bellowed.

"More like one hundred letters. It's the oddest thing," Arthur said standing behind the aging Weasley matriarch.

"Gods, not here too," Hermione said with a heavy heart as she and Ron trudged back towards the house. She grimaced when she saw the stacks and stacks of love letters. All eyes turned to Hermione for an answer as to why the Burrow was overcome with letters that continued to shoot down the floo and out from the fireplace.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~

"Then it's settled. We leave at dusk," Luke announced as all the Malfoy men say together, huddled around the table at the Black family cottage.

"One of us should stay back. If what Teya said is accurate, then we should be able to send a patronus through so the one on the outside would know that we succeeded," Nathaniel added.

"Well I think it should be Scorpius who stays back," Luke said spitefully. "I don't want him along fucking shit up."

"Fuck you Luke, he's my father too. I don't remember anyone electing you as leader," Scorpius bit back in his own defense.

"Now, now that's quite enough," Lucius said. "The choice on who stays back is quite clear. I can't cast a patronus."

"Neither can I," Nathaniel piped in. "My dark past still haunts me. I just can't do it." Lucius nodded in agreement.

"So then it must be one of us."

"I'll stay Father," Nathaniel offered. "I know you want to go after Draco."

"Thank you son. You are correct in your thinking. Besides, I know this land quite a bit better than any of you, even you Narcissa," he said casting a look over his shoulder. "Yes, yes I know you're back there behind the curtain eavesdropping."

"I was just cleaning these drapes. They are ridiculously dusty," the elderly Malfoy woman said and Lucius chuckled at his wife's duplicity.

"Then it's settled. Nat stays back and waits for the sign and the rest of us have today to put our affairs in order before we go," Luke said as he stood up. "We don't come back until we have Dad. Dead or alive, he's coming back with us."

"To bringing Draco back," Nathaniel said and he raised his glass. All the Malfoy men lifted their cups and drank to bringing their loved one back from the realm of the Fae.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"You have to remember. Say it," Chayelle ordered as she crouched next to an immersed Draco.

"I can't fucking remember!" he shouted, his voice thundering through the caverns as he was forced to bath in the purple waters of the pools, pools that were polluted by the enormous power of the crystal.

"You must! Hermione, Hermione, Hermione. Say it."

"Hermione," he said with a staggering breath. His lungs were beginning to burn and he couldn't feel his lower limbs anymore.

"He's not going to remember. Hayden take him out," Chayelle said to the dark haired, wood nymph who stood guard at the pools edge.

"You know what Glinel said. If she senses our betrayal…We can't risk her finding out about the resistance. It would put us, Ilythea and our Fae allies in jeopardy."

"Hayden Granger you will do this now, or I will never forgive you. This is our daughter's mate. Hermione loves this man. How can you be so cynical? Help me get him out."

"Granger? I know that name," Draco bit out, his head woozy and his whole body tingling.

"Alright, but if Glinel finds out, all will be lost."

Draco was heaved from the pools and laid down upon the rock, as the two nymphs hovered over him with worry playing over their faces. "Minister, you must listen. You must try to remember this. We will go over this and over this until it is burned into your brain. We cannot let Glinel have her way."

"He's not going to remember. It's hopeless," the nymph she called Hayden said.

"Yes he will. If he loves our daughter then he will."

"Your daughter is Hermione?" Draco asked, perplexed. "Hermione is my…Who is she again?"

"Your wife!" Hayden howled, annoyed.

"Please listen and try to retain the information you receive. Focus, Minister." Draco nodded as he stared up at the green haired woman. The male however, who hovered over her shoulder looked somewhat familiar, with chestnut eyes and wavy hair to match. "We are witch and wizard, just like Hermione, just like you."

"No, you're nymphs."

"Yes, but when we entered this realm, purely by accident, we looked just as you do. The crystals have changed us."

"It's not the crystals," Hayden argued. "It's Glinel's wielding of them. The Fae are the rightful owners of Mayahasta."

"Please, Hayden. Let me tell him. Minister Draco," she said and she shook him when he started to doze off. "We were barristers at the Ministry, whose workload had over ceded us, so we decided to quit our jobs and become explorers. We wanted to visit the whole world, walking from place to place and living like nomads off the land. It was a stupid idea, but we were young. So, we went out for a hike in the woods one day when we found one of the lavender springs. We followed it for a long while, camping along the banks and finding a renewed sense of romance with one another. Too much romance in fact," she said and she stared up at Hayden. "In any case, the spring trickled into a stream and the stream eventually turned into a raging river."  
"We were stupid," Hayden said and he scoffed.

"We followed the river and when the veil of the barrier was at its thinnest we were swept into this realm. Do you follow me, Minister?"

"Yes, you were swept down the river just as I was, and you entered this realm," Draco said trying in vain to concentrate on what he was being told.

"Very good, Minister. This is good. Soon after we arrived here, I found myself pregnant. The realm was in complete upheaval and war had broken out. I begged Glinel to free us from the realm, but she refused and we have been in her servitude ever since. The witch in the woods sided with us but Glinel turned her into a hideous monster with a taste for flesh. Upon seeing that, it was Ilythea who took pity on us, and she smuggled the baby out for us one night when Glinel and the other nobles were plotting against the Fae. Our baby was given to my husband's brother and they raised her as their own. That baby is Hermione, your wife."

"Yes, she calls me her Dragon. She is a minx in bed," Draco said groggily as a wide smile spread over his face at remembering their last zesty, bedroom session.

"He's delirious," he heard Hayden say with worry.

"Minister, wake up!" Chayelle shook him.

"I'm awake," Draco said rolling on his side and opening his eyes.

"Only the Fae can power the crystal. In the wrong hands, it can be used for only evil. Glinel is that evil. She was sent her by a young Death Bringer when she was only a schoolgirl herself. He taught her to power the crystal."

"You mean the Dark Lord sent her here? She is a witch then, not an elf?"

"Yes! The crystal has morphed her appearance as well, as has it all of us. The Fae that you met in the woods are not in their natural form. They are beautiful, noble creatures, but they have been cut off from their birthright and it has changed them into what they are now. The crystal is theirs, not ours. The Death Bringer knew this, and he intended to conquer the wizarding world, open up the realms and rule over both realms as the sole God of both worlds. Glinel is carrying out his mission, but with the Death Bringer gone, she sees herself as that Goddess. She will stop at nothing to open the realm and when she does, she will conquer your world. You must remember this, time is short! Her power grows by leaps and bounds each day that she spends inside this mountain."

"I will remember, I promise," Draco said before his eyes fell closed, the drowsiness too much to surpass.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"So, I just thought I'd come to say hey, and I will see you sometime. I have to go off for a while," Scorpius said uncomfortably as he stood in the door way of Lily's flat.

"Oh. Ummm, do you want to come in?" she said awkwardly and Scorpius could tell that she didn't really want him to come inside, but was just being polite.

"No, I should probably be going," he said and he raked a hand through his hair and then sighed as he turned to leave.

"Scorpius, come inside."

"Maybe just for a minute," he said and he cautiously stepped forward.

Awkward didn't begin to describe the feeling in the air as Scorpius sat down on one of the sitting chairs in Lily's small flat. "So where are you off to? Quidditch season is on break for the holidays so…"

"Taking a small trip with my brother and grandfather. I don't know when I'll be back."

"How is Luke?" she asked and Scorpius felt a wash of anger course through him.

"Luke is good. Better than good really." Lily beamed upon hearing that, and Scorpius's mood sagged. "Persephone divorced me."

"I know, she told me. I'm so sorry to have done this to you."

"Come on, you were right what you said at the funeral. I initiated it."

"I could have put a stop to it."

"Why didn't you then?" he asked, feeling entirely vulnerable. His heart hung on her every word, and whatever she said next was going to either make or break him.

"I'm not sure. I guess I should have."

"Yeah, I guess you would feel that way seeing as you ended up getting knocked up by the lesser of two brothers," Scorpius said and he stood in a huff.

"Scorpius, that's not what I meant at all."

"I'll support you and the baby. When it's born, I'll have my people contact you and we can formalize visitation rights for me and the baby. If you try to keep my child from me, I'll fight you in court and I will win."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. It's a promise, not a threat. You are right about one thing—Luke is better than me, I _am_ a jerk and I don't fucking care anymore what anyone thinks of me, including you."

"You fucking arsehole!" Lily shouted and she threw a vase at him. It shattered on the wall next to the door narrowly missing Scorpius.

"Love you too, you Pristine Princess," Scorpius said and he stepped through the door and closed it behind him. Once outside he completely broke down as he mounted his broom and shot off into the skies like white lightning.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Harry was nervous. He wanted to get her something, but he felt so out of touch with the whole art of dating, and Persephone, well he had no idea what he should get her. Chocolates seemed like a good idea to him, but then what if she was allergic to it or what if it was too old fashioned a gift and one that the younger generation would not appreciate? He finally gave up as he strode down the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley. That's when he had an idea. Lily was more or less about the same age as Persephone, and since he knew that his daughter was alright with the idea of him dating again, and dating Persephone, he thought what the hell, as he made his way over to her small flat in muggle London.

"Dad, Merlin you always know exactly when I need you," a teary eyed Lily said and she threw her arms around his neck and cried.

"Uh, okay, something is obviously wrong," he said feeling out of sorts with yet another crying woman. It seemed that was all the women in his life did anymore, but he wanted to comfort his daughter so he let himself in and made his way to the living room where he sat down next to his little girl. "Is it hormones from the pregnancy, because your Mum used to get this way too," Harry soothed as a blubbering Lily sniffled and blew her nose into a tissue.

"No, it's Scorpius. He was here, and, and—"

"Did he hurt you? I'll hex his balls off if he did."

"No, it's not like that. I—I couldn't tell him. He thinks I want Luke. He left really hurt and mad. He said he'd take the baby. Now he wants nothing to do with me."

"Whoa, slow down. You don't want Luke? I thought you were in love with him."

"I was, but that was before Quidditch and the Three Broomsticks and the Merlin Sleek, and then the bed and breakfast in the Irish countryside. Gods Dad it was the best night of my life."

"He took you to a bed and breakfast in Ireland?"

"Yeah, and we made love. It was magical and it felt so, so right and then we got back here and it was all so, so wrong. I should have told him though. I could tell he needed to hear it."

"Slow down, Lily, its going to be alright. Tell him what?"

"I didn't want to be like Mum. I don't want him to think that I'm going to leave him in the middle of the night or sleep with his friends or every Quidditch player that flies by me. I hate Mum."

Harry sighed. "Lily, you are not your Mum, and I don't hate your Mum, so you shouldn't either. Ginny, is fun and carefree and sometimes she doesn't consider others in her actions."

"Just like me. I didn't consider what falling in love with Scorpius would do to Luke or to Persephone, or to anyone! I was just gushing over him and my heart wanted him. I'm exactly like Mum, and now I hate myself too."

"You do get that fun and carefree spirit from your Mum, and you are beautiful like Ginny. You certainly don't get that from me. Ginny and I though didn't want the same things. It doesn't make her bad, it just makes us different."

"Please Dad," Lily rolled her eyes. "You moped about for a solid year. She ripped your heart out and tossed it on the ground and then she trampled on it."

"Yes, she did hurt me, but that doesn't mean that you will hurt Scorpius if you tell him that you love him. You have to be true to yourself Lily, and then whatever happens, _happens._ I'll be here as your father regardless of how it turns out," Harry said and he kissed her on the top of her head. "Now, if you could tell me what the chaps are buying women these days when they take them out on a date. I'm clueless," Harry said. Lily laughed out loud.

"Now this is something that I think I can actually help you with. How weird is this, me picking out gifts for my father's new girlfriend? I love you Dad."

Review!?

No you didn't read that wrong...It was Ilythea who smuggled a baby Hermione out of Fae. Obviously this will make her fairly old, and some other questions arise about her as well, namely Glinel and how could she be her mother? Hermione's true blood status? ETC.. Well, there is obviously more to Ilythea. I will say that in her races years she is by all accounts considered a young woman, so Luke isn't hooked up with someone who is really an old crone or anything in disguise. I wouldn't be that cruel to the poor guy, he's been through enough. More explanation later.


	12. Honeydukes

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Twelve

"This isn't right," Molly proclaimed as she served lunch to Arthur, Ron and Hermione. She scooped a heaping size portion of stew into a bowl and placed it in front of Hermione. "You only just lost your husband. It's simply not right to send a witch a marriage proposal so soon after the death of her husband," Molly said in disgust and she cocked her head and frowned at Hermione, in her normal sympathetic but patronizing way. "I'm just glad that Ron isn't receiving the same sort of treatment, but then he's not as high profile as Hermione."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron asked defensively as he dipped his spoon into the stew and popped a steaming potato into his mouth.

"Well dear, I just meant to say that it's good that you aren't so famous that your privacy compromised like Hermione's. That's all. There is a time for grieving. Why back in my mother's day, the women wore black for an entire year and it was widely known and accepted that she was off limits to others."

"Times have changed Mum," Ron muttered.

"I just wish it would stop. I can't go anywhere without the blasted letters following and finding me. I'm really sorry about this," Hermione quipped as she stirred her food around with her spoon, not having much of an appetite even though everything smelled wonderfully delicious. Molly reached across the table and patted her hand.

"It's too bad that you can't just partner up with someone. You know, so the gents leave you alone to grieve," Arthur piped in and Molly suddenly had a gleam in her eye.

"That's a brilliant idea, dear! Yes, all you have to do is announce that you're taken and then the letters will come to a full stop."

"That's a rubbish idea," Ron bit out. "Hermione doesn't want some fame seeker, who is only after her for her money and popularity. I know you don't get this Mum, but it really, really hurts to lose someone you love. I killed her," Ron said through strained words, yet again and Hermione's heart broke for him.

"Well no, clearly she wouldn't want to pair up with that sort of wizard. No, she would need someone equally as famous as her."

"Someone like Harry Potter," Arthur said and all six pairs of eyes went wide. "Well, he would take care of our girl, and no wizard alive could stand up to his impeccable reputation. No live wizard that is," he added in when Hermione narrowed her eyes on the aging Weasley patriarch. He had clearly forgotten that Draco was equally as famous as Harry, if not more so in recent years.

"No, no not Harry. I still have high hopes that our darling Ginny will return from her experimentations with Muggles and that they can patch things up," Molly said with a sigh. "There really isn't anyone else that fits the bill, is there?"

"What am I?" Ron said and he slapped his napkin down. "Why didn't you bring my name up? I was right there with Harry and Hermione when we defeated Voldemort. Why didn't you consider me on your short list of prospective wizards?"

"Ron, just calm down. I'm sure that your Mum wasn't meaning that—"

"Well look at you," Molly fired back. "I made a bad joke and it killed Padma. Oh no, whatever shall I do? Just because you haven't found the right career doesn't mean that you aren't good at something! We are all good at something, some of us just take a little longer to figure out what that something is."

"Molly," Arthur said and he cast her a look as he shook his head.

"Arthur come on, Ron has done nothing but sob about losing his job and his wife, who mind you was not the nicest of people. She walked all over him, she publically humiliated him and she cast Unforgiveables at spiuders and camels and just anything else that got on her nerves. It serves her right what she got if you ask me. Remember the time that—"

"Enough! She was my wife. It'so nice to know that my parents see me as an utter failure in life. You know- Hermione doesn't have to listen to this either. She loved Draco, and she probably finds it hurtful to listen to the two of you lot trying to pair her off like this. 'Mione, come on," Ron said and he stood and held his arm out for her to take. Feeling awkward, Hermione looped her arm in his and they made their way outside again.

"I'm sorry about that," Ron said sincerely.

"It's alright. In an odd way, I think they were just trying to help."

"You want to get out of here?"

"And go where?"

"Well, when we were kids and feeling down, what did we like to do?"

Hermione smiled.

"Sweets, loads of them," she said with a slight giggle.

"Yeah, I say we pop down to Diagon Alley and pay a visit to Honeydukes. We can even stop in Flourish and Blotts," Ron said so off they went.

~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

It was beyond nice, taking just a normal stroll down Diagon Alley. Ron had filled Hermione in about all of his grandkids. He proudly flashed pictures of Drew and Damien's growing brood and he seemed to be in better spirits after they'd raided Honeydukes. She would have never in a million years thought that a chocolate frog or a peppermint lolly, could ever make her forget about losing Draco, but she did, if only for a short while. Being together with Ron was like wearing a worn and comfortable shoe, and they immediately fell back into their natural banter as they strolled down the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, arm in arm.

"Look it's her. That's Hermione Granger-Malfoy."

His paws were all over her, hugging her, sending her well wishes, and if that wasn't bad enough he then proceeded to grope her. Another wizard strolled onto the scene, and then even a witch, and someone grabbed her arse in the mix. Ron was chastising them, viciously, as he pulled out his wand. In the din, Hermione was knocked down and her head hit the curb giving her a nasty egg on her forehead. Ron plucked her up off the street and apparrated them back to the Burrow. "I am so sorry. Are you alright?" he said as he smoothed her bushy hair from her face and gazed at the shiner on her head.

"Yeah, I just wasn't expecting that. I suppose I should have expected to be mobbed, after all the letters, but that's never happened before. I mean, when Draco was alive, we always had fans or supporters who would approach us, but they kept a polite distance. Now I'm wondering if they weren't afraid of him and his Death Eater past, because they never would have dared touch me, and grope me as such if he were still alive."

"'Mione, I don't think that's it. You're a smart, sexy witch with a huge name and you are suddenly available. I hate to say it, but Mum and Dad might be right. If it's gotten so bad that you can't take a stroll down the street without being assaulted by adoring wizards', then you might need to consider it."

"Consider what exactly? What are you saying?"

"Well," Ron swallowed hard and then he reached out and took Hermione by the hands. "I know I'm not as famous as Draco or Harry, and I know you don't love me, but I promise that I will protect you and be your friend for as long as we live. You could marry me, you know, like a marriage of convenience. It would help me too. I'm no good at being alone 'Mione, and when you're around…I feel happy again," he said somberly, staring into her eyes. "Marry me?"

"Ron, you know I can't."

"You don't have to snog me, or sleep with me, or anything. Mates, just like what we have now. I know I'm shit and undeserving of love, but I could help you. I want to. You've always helped me."

Hermione gulped. _Was she seriously considering this? _She asked herself.

~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~~

Harry arrived at St. Mungo's precisely on time, seven o'clock sharp. He was a bundle of nerves as he waited in the lobby for Persephone's shift to end, per their arrangements. "Can I help you Mr. Potter?" the charge nurse said when she saw him and Harry shook his head. "Are you sure?"

"I'm waiting for someone."

"Oh, well visiting hours are over, so whoever it is they probably won't be discharged today. Come back tomorrow though."

"Er—I have a date with someone who works here. I'm not here for a patient."

"Oh, I'm sorry Sir," the nurse blushed. "I just…You Aurors' are injured in the line of duty so often, that I just assumed it was one of your Auror's you were here to see."

"Yeah, well it's not, so if you don't mind," Harry said growing annoyed.

"Harry!" she said and she was glowing as she entered the waiting room wearing her healer robes. "I'm sorry; my last patient ran a little a late. Do you mind if we go to your place so I can grab a shower and change? I'm really sorry. I intended to be finished with work much earlier. I brought along a fresh set of clothes though."

"Uh, sure," he said and he stood from his seat and gave her a light peck on the cheek. The charge nurse was glaring at them, awkwardly.

"We can go back to Serenity if you'd prefer, and then go from there?"

"No, no my house is fine. It's not the lap of luxury that Serenity is though."

"I'm sure it's perfect," Persephone said with a smile.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Bones is what he told her to call him. He thought it made him sound wicked or something, someone not to be trifled with. Bones had his hands everywhere though, as he snogged Jillian in the sixth floor alcove. Hoards of students passed by them, some turning away from their public display of affection and others gawking at the pair. When his hands roamed up her shirt though, Jillian pulled herself away from his deepening kiss. "You like that?" he asked and she could feel the bulge in his pants. It was squashed up against her tummy when they were kissing. "There's more where that came from. After the dance tonight, we should go down to the Black Lake," he said and he wagged his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah, it was good," she said, feeling nervous and scared. "I'll see you later, Bones. I'm going to be late for class."

"Later, Jill," he said and his lips were once again flush on hers. She pulled out of the kiss, breathless and then she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Are you daft? He's a sixth year, and a total tool from what everyone says," Albus said and he pulled her into a dark corridor.

"So what, maybe I like him."

"What's with all of this? Why did you change all of a sudden?"

"Why does it bother you? I thought you liked girl's with stacked tits and curvy arses."

"Yeah, but that's not you. You don't really look like this. You're using charms. It's not the real you," he said and Jillian wanted to smack him.

"I don't hear anyone else complaining. Nobody noticed me before, and now—"

"Now they do," he finished her sentence. "Only they are calling you a trollup. You know, _easy_. Is that how you want to be known?"

"Maybe I do! Go away Albus. You're such a prat."

"No. What happened? I thought you liked me," he said with a wounded expression.

"I want more. Are you ready to go all the way, because that's what I want?"

"All the way," he said and gulped. "No, and I don't think you are either."

"Well Bones thinks I am. After the dance he's taking me to the Black Lake."

"Jilly, that's a sixth and seventh year make out place. If you go there, he isn't going to stop at snogging. Guys talk. I know what goes on there!"

"I know too! I'm tired of being the good girl, the boring girl that nobody notices."

"They did notice you, because you were one of the smartest in our year! Everyone always copied from your paper. You were looked up to. Jillian, don't do this. He can't make you happy."

"You don't know. He says I'm hot and I know he's not lying. I felt it against my leg."

"Well, well-" Albus said becoming completely unhinged. "What if I hex him? Yeah, I don't want you going to the dance with him. You will go with me instead or I will pick a fight with him. Is that what you want? Are you so stuck up now that you want boys fighting over you? I don't like that stupid sod, and I know your father wouldn't approve. He wouldn't approve of the way you're dressed either and nor do I. It's fake and slutty."

"Don't you do dare bring my father into this Albus! Now leave me alone," she said and she ducked under his arm. "Besides, he's a sixth year, like you said. You couldn't stand up to him in a duel anyways. Just go gawk at my cousin Jessie some more and leave me alone."

~~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~~~

His house was an A frame log cabin, although expansive as it fell into view. Persephone was used to riding on the back of a broom after years of being married to a Quidditch player, so it didn't faze her in the least when Harry mounted his Firebolt and signaled for her to get on the back. She wrapped her Healer hands around his middle and they took off into the skies. She was shocked when Harry chose to fly low to the ground, taking in the sights as a powdery snow began to fall. He didn't fly like a bat out of hell either, far above the clouds, which was always Scorpius's chosen velocity and height, and Persephone liked that. They talked as they flew the sort of idle chit-chat that felt normal and pleasant and Harry asked her more than once if she was cold, as if he really cared, which she was sure that he did. He landed the broom with the grace of an experienced flyer, one who had nothing to prove, again, in direct contrast to her former husband. All of her date, thus far at least, was refreshing to Persephone, and a welcome change of pace.

"It isn't much, but it's cozy and comfortable," Harry said as he pushed opened the door and then motioned for her to enter first.

"It's darling. I love it," she said as she hung her coat on the hook and gazed around the house. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace and worn sofas with afghan blankets thrown over them in the cozy living room. Organized stacks of wood lay on the brick hearth of the floo, and pictures in silver frames, mostly of his kids, but some of his parents and mentors like Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, graced the mantle. Oddly, there was none of him. He even had one with Ginny, holding a baby Albus in her hands and laughing whilst on a picnic yet none of himself. _Curious_, she thought to herself. _Why none of Harry?_

"The loo is upstairs, just off the loft bedroom," he said and he began to hike the wooden stairs to the loft that overlooked the living room. "You can shower and change. There are fresh towels in the closet, just here, and oh," he said and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box that he nervously thrust into her hands. "This is for you. I didn't pick it out, but I was assured that you would like it," he said looking down. He shoved his hands into his pockets at that and Persephone curiously opened the box. It was a silver pin that was daintily adorned with turquoise and rose colored flowers. It was pretty, even if it wasn't really something Persephone would have picked out for herself, or ever thought of wearing. She moved towards him at that and reached for his hand.

"It's really pretty. Thank you," she said graciously. "What is it that you would have picked out?" she asked softly as she stared into his emerald eyes.

"As I said, I'm no good at picking out gifts for a lovely lady such as you. I was just going to buy you some chocolate truffles," he admitted as if embarrassed.

"Chocolate truffles are my favorite," she replied with a smile. "Next time, trust your instincts. That's what a good Auror does right?" she said and she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for the pin."Harry's Adam's apple bulged as Persephone entered the loo and closed the door.

Twenty minutes later and clean and refreshed she opened the door to the bathroom. She inhaled sharply when she saw Harry standing there, shirtless as he reached into the wardrobe and pulled out a spiffy, button up shirt. He'd been wearing a simple pair of jeans and a flannel shirt before that, which Persephone found rustic and masculine and just drop-dead gorgeous.

"I'm sorry, I figured I'd better change if we are going out. I wasn't sure what to wear as we never really talked about where we were going. I figured, a nice restaurant on Diagon Alley, or something like that? Now you have me confused though, as you are in jeans. So how shall I dress?" he asked in such a way that showed his vulnerability and that Persephone found to be terribly cute.

"I say you stay just like that, and we don't go anywhere tonight. It's snowing outside, and it's warm here. Perhaps we just sit around the fire and chat?"

Harry smiled and she could have sworn that she saw a wash of relief pass over his face. "I could cook you dinner," he said happily.

"You can cook?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I had a lot of experience when I lived with my Aunt and Uncle growing up. I pretty much did most of the cooking. After that, Ginny never liked to cook, so I just sort of did it. I don't mind it," he said as he hung his shirt up and turned to face Persephone, wearing only a pair of blue jeans. She inhaled sharply at the sight of his chiseled arms and abs. He had soft wisps of hair on his chest, dark, and they fell in a line down his abs and under his jeans. All at once her womanly hormones were awakened and she couldn't stop her upper lip from trembling. As if sensing it, Harry reached into the top drawer of what looked like an antique dresser made of oak and he pulled on a tee shirt before taking her by the hand and leading her out of the bedroom and back down the steps.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"Am I too late?" Ilythea asked when she found Hayden and Chayelle crouched beside an unconscious Draco.

"Thank the Gods you're here," Chayelle said. "Glinel wants his memory erased. We have done everything in our power to avert her plans, but I fear it wasn't enough."

"Quickly, before she knows I am here," Ilythea said. "Put him into the pool."

"No, he can't take anymore," Hayden said sternly.

"Trust me. Have I ever led you astray? Put him into the pool." She could see their indecision, and she didn't blame them for doubting her, but she didn't have time to explain. Her precious Golden One and the others were embarking on a journey, one of great peril, and she knew that the time for turning away from the deeds of her guardian, the treacherous Glinel, were of the past. No longer could she sit idly by, not when they had the father of her beloved.

"You said he is the one, the one the daughter we do not know has chosen as her mate. You won't let him succumb, will you Ilythea?" Chayelle asked suspiciously.

"Not if I can help it. Now, please before she comes. She is aware of my presence here."

"Hayden guard the door," Chayelle ordered and then the two women heaved the limp body of Draco into the purple pool.

"Now, get out my friend," Ilythea said and Chayelle nodded as she exited the pool. Ilythea dunked herself completely under the water and then she rose again as she hovered over Draco. Her hands swished in the waters around him and with each swish of her pale fingers the water gleamed with iridescence. Her head fell back and she chanted in a language that was both as ancient as it was secretive to the Fae. When she opened her eyes once more she smiled when she saw the single pool, where the Minister lay was a pure shade of brilliant white. "Now, help me dunk him in the purifying waters." Chayelle splashed into the waist deep waters of the pool and then did as she commanded. Draco eyes popped open, but then the door was being hammered upon and Hayden looked at Ilythea with fright.

"Let her in," she said sadly.

"But she will see what you've done."

"Then she will see. There is nothing I can do to change my fate. Gather the others. Send them to the caves. The Golden One will come, and the Minister will be freed. I have seen this. Now open the door."

When the door swung open, an enraged Glinel whisked into the room, followed closely by the other nobles who flanked her sides. "Ilythea, you have been very bad. You will be punished for this offense," Glinel said as she waded into the waters and laid her hands upon Ilythea's shoulders. "You understand this, right?"

"Yes, Glinel. I understand this."

"Mother. I told you to call me the Mother Goddess."

"Yes, Glinel you did, but you aren't my mother, nor are you a Goddess." Glinel pressed her hand to her forehead and Ilythea was met with seering pain as Glinel forced herself inside her mind.

"Oh now you've gone and done it! You slept with him. How could you? Do you know what could happen if you were to share the power of the crystal with another? Tell me this vision you show me is a lie." She shook Ilythea violently. "You did not give the ancient knowledge to the warlock, did you? You promised me!" Glinel said, her voice taking on an eerie quality as her rage grew and the walls of the cavern began to tremble. "Seal off the tunnels. Post guards along the walls outside. Nobody gets into the mountain! Ilythea is hiding something from me and I intend to find out what it is!"

Review!?

So I had some troll yesterday do several drive-byes on a few of my Broomsticks stories. They weren't critique or anything of the sort, they were anonymous, personal attacks of a vicious and hurtful nature. When I removed them, they became frustrated and posted a nasty one calling me a third-rate writer on a registered account. Convenient that they haven't written not a single story, but feel they have the authority to tell me that I suck. LoL I won't dignify this sort of petty, trolling behavior or pay it any attention, ever again. It's wrong, they know it's wrong, yet they rip authors on this site for attention. I was wrong to give them any, and I won't do it again. So, if you like this story then let me know! I don't mind criticism as I have a fairly thick skin, but personal attacks aren't at all cool, and some of the reviews I was able to remove were really demented and not at all about the stories. The rest of you are great! I don't at all mind hearing you say you don't like this or don't like that, or Scorpius is a dirtbag and bring on D&H or Harry and Persephone or Luke and Teya or whatever LOL That is all honest and good stuff. This only relates to the drive-by, trolls, who do this to a lot of well-known authors on fanfic!


	13. Brotherly Love

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Thirteen

Dinner was divine and their conversation, as they sat cozily around the fire sipping on a glass of elf made wine, was natural and easy. All in all the date was going as smooth as butter. There were a couple of awkward pauses, but Persephone, remembering Hermione's advice, took the lead when the flow of conversation ceased.

"Do you want to kiss me?" she asked, during one of those awkward pauses, and Harry was taken aback.

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

"Do you do that to everyone?" she asked smirking.

"Do what?" Harry replied, dumbfounded.

"Answer a question with a follow up question?" she giggled.

"I—I'm an Auror. I also, I dunno, perhaps it's my training. I know I need to be more open. It's something I'm working on," Harry said, almost as if ashamed.

"Well, you don't have to answer. Your magic always gives you away. At least to me it does," she said with a sense of knowing and Harry all at once looked intrigued.

"That's the second time that you've brought up my magic. Is that something they teach Healers then, how to feel a person's magic?"

"No. I mean, I suppose some of us are more sensitive to it than others, though I was never one of those gifted healers who were just naturally born with that innate sense. I wasn't able to read anyone's magic, not until yours anyways," she said and she took a gulp from her glass, polishing it off. Harry reached over and poured her another glass of wine when she held it up for him to refill.

"And just what does my magic tell you?" Harry asked, interested.

"I can feel it. Before I asked you if you wanted to kiss me, I could feel it pulsating out, engulfing me just as it did when we were on the terrace when you stopped me from making a dreadful mistake."

"And now?"

"You retracted it, but I can still feel the push and pull. You want me, but you are conflicted. Why?"

"Are we having a session then? Shouldn't I be laying on the couch or something, telling you my deepest darkest secrets?" Harry chuckled. Persephone reached out though and took his hand, pulling him down on the sofa with her and wrapping her arms around his waist. "No session, just getting to know you better."

"You're just out of a relationship," Harry said and he leaned up on his elbow, facing her. They were so close their noses were nearly touching and Persephone felt her heart speed up. "I've been lonely since Ginny left. There is no point denying it, besides, I think you sense that."

"Of course you're lonely. What she did was a horrid thing. You've earned the right to date again. You're a free man. So far as me, you think I'm on the rebound, is that it? Or is it our age difference? That's it isn't it?"

"Yes, and no," Harry said. "You could have any wizard you want. It seems unfair to saddle you with a nearly middle-aged bloke who has three kids and loads of baggage." Persephone frowned and then she reached up and touched the lightning bolt scar on his forehead, understanding exactly what he meant about baggage.

"Why not let me be the judge? Kiss me," she urged and she leaned forward and closed her eyes. His lips brushed against hers and then his magic was enveloping her again. His hands were light on her hip, but his magic was gripping her tight, with a force that left her breathless as his tongue slipped inside her mouth. She could feel Harry's trepidation, but his magic said otherwise. He wanted to take her, like a bull in a china shop and he couldn't hide it from her no matter how hard he tried. His need, as felt through his magic by her, was like a strong and constant wind, blowing hot and hard and coming at her like a steam train roaring through the countryside on a blustery, cold night.

"Mmm," Persephone moaned and she raked her hand through his messy hair as their hour long snogging session continued.

"Yeah," Harry moaned and he broke off their kiss. "I think the fire needs another log," he said and he stood. Persephone licked her lips when she saw the distinct bulge in his pants.

"Hurry back," she said, watching his arse as he bent and reached for a log and then tossed it onto the fire.

"I think I should probably take you home before we get carried away," he said with his back to her.

"We're both adults. Who cares if we get carried away?" she asked seriously.

"I care," he said and he turned and peered down at her. "I think I should take you home now."

"Well, I think—" Persephone said and she sat up and unbuckled his jeans as she unzipped them. "I don't think you really want me to go at all," she said and she slipped her hand inside his boxers. He moaned when she wrapped her petite hand around his hardened member. He was staring down at her with lust in his eyes as she slid his pants down over his strong thighs, and then she laid back and began to unbutton her shirt. Her small, round breasts spilled out into view and she smiled when Harry instinctively swathed a tongue over his bottom lip.

"I want you so much," Harry said in a low voice as he shucked his shirt. Persephone then unzipped her own jeans and let the flap hang open, revealing her cotton panties underneath. "Stop me," Harry begged as he lay down over top of her.

"Never," she said coyly and then both Harry and his magic were unleashed on her in a tornado of sexual frenzy as he nipped and sucked at her pert nipples. When his hand smoothed its way down her tummy and slipped under her panties, she let her legs fall open, and she immediately climaxed when she felt his fingers on her core. His magic was coursing through her and she was only vividly aware that she moaning loudly as he pumped his fingers inside her. "Harry, make love to me," she finally begged and he moved swiftly between her legs. His cock was throbbing against her trimmed mound, aching for release and all she could think about was how good he would feel inside her. If the magic in his fingers was enough to bring her to a mind blowing climax, then how earth shaking would it be to feel him full on inside her?

"I—contraceptive potion," he bit out as he cradled her in his arms, the tip of his manhood pressing against her entrance.

"We don't need it. I can't have kids Harry," she admitted for the first time in her life. She'd never even told Scorpius that fact. It was a deep, dirty secret, at least in her mind it was. It was one that she'd carried around for years, ever since she'd gone to the Senior Healer and had an examination done, in order to find out why she wasn't conceiving a baby with her husband, who wanted a child more than anything. Harry stopped and gazed into her eyes with such warmth and empathy and it was as if somebody, for the first time in her life understood her, and she didn't even need to explain herself.

"I have to admit something to you too," he said and he pulled her flush against his body and whispered into her ear. "I can feel your magic too, and it's like a ray of sunshine shining down where only darkness loomed." Tears burst from her eyes upon his words and a smile as wide as the Nile spread across her face.

"Make love to me, Harry," she said, and he did. And then some. He drove himself inside her, just like a bull in the china shop, the one that she knew he was underneath all the honor and humbleness.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"I mean, Draco is gone and he's not coming back," Hermione said fighting back tears as she paced the garden back and forth while a silent Ron looked on. "It makes sense? And like you said, it's convenient for both of us. I too feel better when I'm around you, Ron. The letters would stop, people would leave me alone, and I'm sure that if I explained to the kids my predicament that they too would come around…Eventually."

"Even your little one?" Ron reminded.

"That I'm not so sure about. I would have to have a sit down with her before we actually, you know..." she couldn't quite say the word married. In her mind, only she and Draco were truly married. "Can we just get engaged for now? I need time to process this, and to talk to the kids, Jilly especially. The boys', well they aren't really boys' anymore are they, and right now they have made a right foul mess of their lives, so—I think, yes?" she said with only a smidgeons drop of conviction in her voice.

"Bloody brilliant 'Mione," Ron said and he hugged her. "Let's go tell Mum and Dad. It might give you a boost of needed confidence, before you break the news to the wizarding world."

"I suppose," Hermione agreed, but in her head she was screaming at Draco for leaving her alone. _It was never meant to be this way._ _We were supposed to be together, forever. _Ron flung his arm around her shoulders, just as he'd always done, and they trod back to the Burrow, intent on breaking the news of their engagement to the elderly Weasleys'.

"Oh, shit, is this yours?" Ron said and he stooped and picked something up. Hermione cocked her head in confusion when she saw her wedding ring in the palm of Ron's hand. She immediately looked at her ring finger. Her wedding ring had fallen off. She found it odd, as it had always fit her so snugly before.

"Thanks. Merlin, I almost lost that. Thank you, Ron. Perhaps I need to eat more. This ring has never come off my finger before."

"Don't worry, hang around here for a bit and Mum will plump you up like a holiday turkey," Ron said and Hermione laughed as she slipped her wedding band, Draco's ring, back on her finger where it belonged.

"Of course, we will need to go ring shopping," Ron piped in and Hermione felt a niggling feeling in the back of her mind, as if his words just had a sour ring to them. She put it out of mind, telling herself that she was just going through the normal grief of losing a man she loved more life itself. Her Dragon.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

It was night when they set off on foot towards the caves, and the four Malfoys' chanted, "Lumos," in unison.

"I have a small boat docked at the banks of the river, per Teya's instruction," Nathaniel said. "I'll see you off and then I'll wait for the Patronus."

"Teya said that the Diagon Alley veil is the thickest, and she wasn't certain whether it was the King's Cross portal or the muggle London portal that was the thinnest, but I know she's been to the platform before, as she mentioned it once in passing. My bet is King's Cross," Luke said.

"No problem. I'm prepared to camp out at the bloody station if I have to. If you can get him out, I'll be there to receive him," Nathaniel said and Lucius clapped him on the back.

"Why did you bring that?" Luke asked when he saw the broomstick under Scorpius's arm as they paced through the pitch black woods at the Black Caverns.

"I always have my broom close by," Scorpius said and Luke rolled his eyes.

"Most wizards would say that about their wands."

"Yeah, well I have that too. You got a problem with me being here?"

"Yeah, I do," Luke said and he stopped short and turned on Scorpius.

"Keep walking or else," the blond said but Luke shoved him backwards. Scorpius lunged back, his fists balled up and ready to go at it.

"Stop it!" Lucius commanded and he got between them. "If you both can't put your differences aside for the duration of this journey then you are both a liability."

"He's right you know. If you want to have any sort of a fighting chance at bringing Draco out alive then you must work together," their Uncle said and Luke stepped back and relaxed his stance. Scorpius too, lowered his fists.

As if the woods weren't dark enough, the cave was a tomb of empty blackness. "This is as far as I've ever gone," Lucius said as they passed the lavender spring and continued on into the depths of the caverns.

"The river is just up ahead, around the bend," Nat said and he took the lead as they stepped carefully over the slippery rocks. The roof of the cave was shrinking, squeezing them in and they were forced to duck under the pointy tips of the stalactites that fell from the cave ceiling. "Be careful here," Nat warned. "There is a drop off to your left," his Uncle said, but his warning came too late and Luke's foot slipped on the wet rock. He felt a hand grab the collar of his shirt and then he was being heaved backwards.

"Thank you, to whoever just caught me. I can't see shit in here, even with our wands," he said with a sense of relief as his heart began to slow after the terrible fright of nearly plummeting to his death.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Scorpius said and Luke growled under his breath. "Yeah, I know it's too much for you to admit that I just saved your life. For someone who is as much inside their head all the bloody time, as you are, you sure have a hard time admitting certain facts, that someone as smart as you should have figured out way sooner."

"Oh you mean like I should have known that my brother would backstab me by shagging my girlfriend? Is that what you mean Scorps?"

"You want to know what I mean? I'll tell you exactly what I mean."

"I said enough!" Lucius howled. "I'll put you both under the Imperius curse if I have to. If it will mean not having to listen to my grandsons bicker then I'll do it. Act like men."

"Ha! He told you," the blond said and Luke wanted to deck him. Instead, he took his Grandfather's advice and shut the hell up.

The river was nothing more than a narrow channel when they at long last reached the banks of the river. Nathaniel parked a small, wood row boat along a silty shore of the subterranean river. A canoe would have probably been a better idea, Luke thought to himself when he saw how the channel narrowed even more up ahead. The water was a soft lavender in color and Scorpius knelt down to clean his hands in the water before going on. "No. Don't touch the water. Teya said not to."

"I've been in the hot spring before," Lucius piped up as he too was about to step into the water.

"Yeah, but that wasn't connected to the river. Look, she warned me about the waters. I'm going to trust her and believe that she was telling me the truth. But by all means Scorps, go ahead and wash your hands and face in it if you wish. Hell, take a swim for all I care," Luke said as he dropped his bag into the boat and climbed in.

"Blow it out your arse. You know, Lily, she was never—"

"Never what?" Luke said angrily.

"Nothing," Scorpius said and he was the last one to get into the boat. He watched his brother from the corner of his eye though and Scorpius seemed to heed his advice.

They paddled through the dark tunnels, following the channel as it wound about through the dark caves. "This reminds me of Venice," Lucius said and Luke chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Scorpius asked.

"Blast you're stupid," Luke shot back. "In Venice they use gondola's to get around, because the city is—Oh fucking forget it, you'll never get it anyway," Luke said.

"I've been to Venice arsewipe. I've played Quidditch at every stadium in the world. I've been more places than you."

"Key word, stadium. I'm not talking about stupid, jocks chasing a golden ball with wings and then getting pissed drunk and sleeping with anything that walks. You don't know your head from your arse, and I know you never explored Venice, or you'd have understood Grandfather's joke."

"Hmm, perhaps not," Scorpius said. "Perhaps I'll take Lily there on our honeymoon," Scorpius said and the boat began to rock violently as Luke leapt around his Grandfather and took a swing at Scorpius. The boat was rocking as Lucius feverishly paddled to a nearby rocky shore. Scorpius had him pinned again, _damn it for him being a jock_, Luke thought to himself.

"Get out! Now," Lucius said in a voice Luke had never heard before. It gave him chills as Lucius pulled along the bank of the river and tossed Luke's bag onto the jagged rocks of the shore. He then threw Scorpius's broom and it knocked against one of the rock walls. "I mean now, before I do something I'll regret. I will find Draco myself," he said. Scorpius looked as shocked as Luke felt, but both men climbed from the boat and then stood there, like two statues as they watched their Grandfather Lucius paddle away, all the while muttering obscenities under his breath.

"Now you went and did it. You just got Grandfather killed," Scorpius said angrily. "He can't do this alone."

"Me? I'm not the one who fucked your wife!"

"Lily wasn't your wife and she was never going to be your wife," Scorpius said and then Luke plowed into him, knocking him backwards. They came to blows, each hitting one another with vicious force as their fists pounded against the other. Luke was enraged and he could contain his fury no more as he pulled out his wand and jammed it into Scorpius's cheek.

"Why did you do it?" he shouted, his voice echoing like a sonic boom throughout the caverns.

"You want to kill me? Do it," Scorpius said.

"I just want to know why. You could have gotten anyone if you wanted to cheat on your wife. Why my girl? Why?" Luke said and he jabbed his wand harder into his brother's face.

"Because I love her," Scorpius finally said and Luke just sat there, hovering over top of his brother, wanting nothing more than to cast the killing curse on him. "I love Lily and I wanted her for myself, even though I knew I had no right." Luke stepped back, and then plopped down on his arse in the small patch of sand and mud, feeling completely dumbfounded. "I love you Luke. If you say that you love her, I'll walk out of her life. You're my brother, and I can't stand the shit way you look at me," Scorpius said as he picked up his broom and turned to Luke. His eyes were misty and he wore a pained expression. "I want Lily, but not at the expense of losing you. You used to look up to me. You're my little brother, and I miss that."

"I didn't know you loved her. I thought you were just, dunno, trying to show me up or something. I've always lived in your shadow, and then you took Lily and—I don't love her," Luke said with a sudden sense of dawning. "I don't love Lily!"

"Then, can we…Bro?"

"You could have told me how you felt," Luke said as Scorpius slowly made his way over to Luke.

"I know I could have. I should have. I've never been as smart as you, or I would have. I'm sorry Luke."

"You—" Luke started to say but then his brother was hugging him. Scorpius was always easier with showing emotion but Luke broke down and his brother didn't laugh, didn't mock him, he just stood there and hugged him tighter. "You're still a dumb jock," Luke muttered through tears as he pulled away.

"I know, and you're still an annoying know-it-all," Scorpius said and both brothers laughed as they went in for another hug.

"Good. Now that that's settled, can we get on with our mission?" Lucius asked and both men turned in shock to see Lucius, with the oars lazily in his hands as he looked on from his perch in the row boat. "Well? Can we get a move on, or do you find it necessary to hug a bit more?"

"We were so played," Scorpius said and he looked at Luke.

"And owned," Luke replied and they both laughed as they climbed onto the boat and set off once more down the widening river.

"Do you love her," Scorpius asked as they took turns paddling down the river.

"Teya? I barely know her."

"Not what I asked," Scorpius said and Luke was reminded that his dumb, jock brother was not quite as dumb as he thought. He always had a way of getting right to the heart of the matter, at least where Luke was concerned. He missed that about him.

"Let's just focus on Dad for now," Luke said dodging the question. "Hey," he said turning back to look at Scorpius though. "Thanks for asking bro," he said and he smiled. Scorpius nodded.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Things were moving far too fast for Jillian and she was in over her head. Way, way over her head as Bones made quick progress at removing her bra. She wriggled underneath him, trying to get out. "What's wrong, I thought you wanted this?" he finally said after the third time she smacked his hand away from her inner thigh.

"I thought I did. Can't we just slow down and go back to snogging?"

"You're joking right? I thought you knew when I asked you to come here what was implied," Bones said as he moved off from her, sighed and then raked a hand through his hair.

"I—I'm sorry. I should go," she said and she stood and righted her clothing.

"Well yeah you should go. Tease," he said rudely.

"What did you call me?"

"I called you a tease. Get a bloke all worked up, toying with me like this," he said angrily.

"Or maybe you're just a tool, who was using Jilly to get into her pants so you could go back to Hufflepuff and brag to your mates," Albus said and Jillian spun around to see the younger and shorter Albus Potter standing behind her with his wand held on the older, Bones.

"Piss off. What are you a second year?"

"Third year, thank you very much, and I know how to cast the disarming spell," Albus said.

"Oh, did your Daddy teach you that? Blow me Potter." Bones stood and brushed past them, knocking into Jillian as he passed.

"I know other spells as well," Albus shouted and the sixth year student turned around, opening his arms and sarcastically taunting him.

"Oh yeah? What you mean like this? Stupefy," he chanted and and he pulled his wand on Albus in a flash. The boy was thrown backwards as his body flailed through the air.

"Crucio!" Jillian shouted, without thinking and then she watched in horror as green bolts from her wand shot out and hit Bones in the bread basket. He crumpled to the ground, shouting out in agony. Jillian's eyes nearly popped out of her skull and she dropped her wand so fast it was as if she were bitten by a snake. "What have I done?"

"It's alright. I'll say I did it," Albus said, struggling to his feet. "Nobody has to know about this. We just got in a fight over something stupid and I got carried away. My Dad is on the board of this school. I won't get in that much trouble."

Review!?

A/N So I know everyone is eager to see some D&H (psst, I am dying to get to that part of the story myself) and we will get there, and when we do, it will be worth it. Just hang in there lol Thank you so, so much for all your fabulous words of encouragement. They were well received and greatly appreciated! I even laughed at some of the responses, like the one about sticking a wand up the troll's nose, or the one about letting you guys have a go at them LOL Good stuff! Keep it coming and I will keep plugging away at this story lolol


	14. Sharky

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Fourteen

It all made sense to Draco. All of it. The Fae, the Fae wars from a century ago, all of it. All of it except Voldemort's role in it and in so, Glinel's. _Hide the knowledge as best you can. She will kill you if she knows that you know_, he heard her voice say, the young one, the nymph who was hauled away by the Nightingale and the other noble.

"Tell me what she revealed to you? Tell me!" Glinel bellowed and Draco stood to face her, his towering height looming over her in a menacing fashion.

"I know nothing. Who am I? Who are you? Why am I here?" he said feigning dumb. Her face relaxed at that.

"You must have had too much ale at dinner last night. Why, you are my mate, Draco dear. We are betrothed. Surely you didn't forget that whilst in your drunken stupor? I had hoped that the baths would clear your head," she said and she hesitantly reached forward and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. Even she wasn't a very good actress because Draco could literally feel her loathing of him in her touch. He was beneath her, and she couldn't hide the way she felt, even though she put on quite the performance.

"Of course not my sweet," Draco played along. "I dare say that your remedy for my…hangover…has had a positive effect. Now if you could just remind me as to where my quarters are, I should like a shave."

"What?" Glinel asked as if thrown off by his words.

"I want to look dashing for you. My quarters? Or do we share quarters? Perhaps I hit my head on the rocks, as I can't seem to remember," Draco said and he rubbed the back of his head for effect.

"This is not what I expected," Glinel said in no more than a whisper.

"Then what did you expect, my dear?" he said and he took her hand and pressed his lips to it. He wanted to gag, but he instead played out the ruse. "I'm feeling amorous; perhaps you should come with…" Draco wagged his eyebrows at her and she scowled, but then put on a fake smile.

"Oh you," she said and she backed up and exited the pool, "We can't do _that_ until after the ceremony when we open the realm together. Those were my terms of marriage, if you recall? You agreed to them just yesterday, before the great celebratory feast."

"Glinel," the male wood nymph who Draco assumed to be her true mate, protested, but she shushed him and then ordered him to leave.

"Yes, the ceremony. I assume you have the petition all ready?"

"Of course, Minister. Uh darling I mean," she said slipping up.

"Good then. I should like to thank your daughter for rousing me when she did. I might have drowned that or missed your visit whilst I slept in these delightfully effervescent waters."

"Ilythea is not feeling well. She is resting."

"I see. So then, about that shave? My quarters?"

"I'll have the guards show you to your room."

"Thank you my Goddess. Until later then," Draco said and he bowed his head in mock reverence. He was then led through the torch lit tunnels within the mountain of Mayahasta and only after he closed the door to his room did he let out a relieved sigh. He didn't have much time, and he had loads of questions for the strange girl he'd met in the forest, the one Glinel referred to as daughter, and who wasn't at all her daughter but someone of much greater importance. That much he knew from the brief glimpses of knowledge that was passed from her to him.

Draco found his clothes laid neatly on his bed and he quickly dressed. The nudity thing, while nice, _nice when you're shagging like pixies_, had worn thin. He was startled when he heard a light knock at the door.

"I—Minister, Glinel has deceived you," the green haired nymph said as she stood at door and nervously gazed to her left and then to her right, as if expecting a guard to find her at any moment.

"Come in Chayelle," Draco said and he quickly ushered her in as he closed the door to his quarters behind him.

"I can't be here. She is expecting me to help her dress for the ceremony. I only have a moment. Minister—You shredded the last petition. You cannot—"

"I know and I will shred the third and final petition as well," Draco assured.

"But all you said, in the baths…You have a plan of your own, do you not? You don't know the power Glinel has amassed."

"Yes I do, but I need to gain access to her mind. There is still something missing from this puzzle."

"Glinel was right, wasn't she? Ilythea gave you the ancient knowledge. Then you know? You know who Hayden and I—"

"You're my wife's true parents," Draco said staring out from the balcony at the warring Fae at the wall, who desperately tried to gain entrance to the mountain. "You're Hermione's Mum and Hayden is her father," he said and he turned to face the young woman. Time moved slower in Fae and Hermione's Mum looked like a woman in her mid-twenties. Draco himself felt rejuvenated since being in the milky bath that Ilythea created and he even felt a longing, a longing of a carnal nature for his beloved Hermione who was back in the safety of the wizarding world. He thanked Merlin for that.

"Tell me about her. Is she smart? Does she look like me or like Hayden?" Draco smiled warmly at the woman.

"She looks like your husband quite a bit, but she has your daring courage and wit. She's known in our realm as the brightest witch of her age."

"Hayden will find this news comforting. We have toiled over our decision to give her up for many years. Do you love her and she you? Are you happy?"

"Yes and yes. I've never met a more loyal or loving woman. We have three children together, Scorpius, Luke and Jillian," Draco said with a longing in his heart for his family.

"I find this comforting. I had wanted her to find love. And we are grandparents?" the woman beamed. "This will give Hayden and I much to talk about for years to come. Hayden likes to make stories, visions of how our daughter lives her life. In his stories, we are a part of that life. It's all we have here. We are just servants, so you can't know how much happiness you have brought to us in telling us of our daughter. Though,you must miss her terribly."

"I surely do, Chayelle, or should I call you Mum?" Draco said and he let out a quiet chuckle. "Hermione would wait a lifetime for me to return, as I would her. If I know her, she is trying to find a way into the realm as we speak in order to free me. That is why I must act quickly. I don't want her or any other witch or wizard entering this realm. Not as it stands now. I do promiuse though to get you out, both yourself and Hayden, just as soon as I find a way."

"Nobody has ever called me Mum. It seems like a lifetime ago that Hayden and I belonged to your world. Is there anything that I or Hayden can do to help you?"

"As a matter of fact there is," Draco said and then he whispered in her ear. She nodded and then she whispered back as Draco listened and nodded.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"Well don't just stand there, let me in," Drew said when Lily opened the door to her flat to find her cousin and her three small tots standing there. "Artie is failing Potions, Damien Jr. spit up all over my brand new shirt and my sweet girl, Nymphadora, came down with that muggle flu that is named after swine. I never should have let Grandfather taken them to that Muggle playground," Drew said as she pushed past Lily and made for the kitchen. The baby was cooing as she bounced him on her hip. She threw open the icebox and thrust a bottle bag into it then slammed it closed with her foot. "So how are you? I heard you have a bun in the oven," Drew said excitedly and Lily cringed.

"Yeah, it seems I'm going to have a baby," she said nervously.

"Well, let me change his nappie, he's had the runs lately. Teething," she said as if it was common knowledge, which to Lily it was as foreign as sucking at Quidditch. "Then I want you to tell me all about your hot night of passion with Scorpius Malfoy. Damien is visiting America, so I haven't shagged in weeks, so don't skimp on the details," Drew said as she flicked her wand and a nappie appeared in her hand. She then raced off to the bedroom and in two minutes flat she was back in the living room as she parked herself on the couch and stared at Lily.

"That was fast. Where's the baby?"

"Oh, he was tuckered out. He was up last night with colic. He's sleeping on your bed if that's alright."

"Uh, yeah sure. Drew, does everything always move this fast? I mean, how do you do it all?" Lily asked, feeling completely overwhelmed. She was certain that she couldn't handle a baby, whereas Drew seemed to be a natural at juggling six things at once.

"Oh you just do it. You get used to it," she said as if it was nothing special but to Lily it was a minor miracle and her worries of motherhood were only exacerbated by seeing Drew so accomplished at being a Mum. "So cousin, spill! I'm dying to hear how my perfect cousin got caught up with the scandal of all scandals. The whole wizarding world is talking about it, even though it seems the Malfoy's were able to keep it from the papers. People still talk."

"You make it sound so tawdry."

"You slept with a married man. A very well-known, married man and now you're carrying his lovechild."

"His lovechild? Is that what people are saying?" Drew shrugged but then nodded.

"Fuck 'em I say. Enjoy the attention, Merlin knows after the baby comes you won't be the center of anything. It's all about the kids when you become a Mum. Well not all, I mean Damien and I still find time to shag like rabbits but you know—"

"No, Drew I really don't know."

"Well you will, soon enough," she giggled. "Come on, spill it already! Word on the street is that you got hammered and then he came onto you and you shagged and he knocked you up."

"That's not exactly how it happened," Lily said shyly. "I'll tell you, but it goes no further than this room. Got that Drew?" Drew nodded eagerly and rubbed her hands together.

"Well, I suppose it started two summers ago…"

"That long ago?"

"Do you want me to tell this or what?"

"Sorry. Mum's the word," Drew said and she made a locking motion over her lips and then pretended to throw away the key.

_I was visiting Luke at Scorpius and Persephone's home. That was before Luke moved into his flat in the city so that he could be closer to work. Luke was down in the basement in the lab working on something top secret as he said at the time. He thought they had spies working at Malfoys Potions Plus, ones who might spill the beans of his latest concoction to one of their competitors, so he had taken to working at home. Well, I always admired Luke's abilities as an alchemist and I have a healthy respect for Potions, I mean the Healers rely on people like Luke to come up with new inventive ways to treat all sorts of ailments."_

"Lily, stop it."

"Stop acting as if you have to prove to me that you cared for Luke. I know you did hun, but I want to hear how you hooked up with Scorpius."

"I was getting to that," Lily said annoyed but then she continued.

_I was bored though, so I meandered upstairs and gazed out the window. Persephone was in the library reading and she wasn't up for chatting when I tried to start a conversation so when I saw scorpius outside, practicing his Quidditch drills during the off season, I called my broom to me, went outside and joined him. I hadn't ever paid Quidditch any serious mind, not as far as going professional, although I was always good back in my school days. I was more or less floundering about. I mean I had a job at Honeydukes, shoveling Bertie Bots Every Flavoured Beans into kids cauldrons, but it was hardly a career. Dad had mentioned several times that he thought that I should go out for Quidditch, but I don't know, I guess I felt insecure about my prospects of making it, so I didn't really give it any serious thought. That was until that day when I saw Scorpius doing drills. He was pleasant and he seemed as much in need of conversation as I was, so we struck up a conversation. He invited me to join him in his drills, the same ones professional players do in the off season in order to keep fit. I was lagging behind Scorpius quite a bit though, so I got off my broom and chucked it, irate that I wasn't any good. That's when he landed next to me and taunted me. When I got angry he challenged me. He beat the tar out of me at the Seeker position, and then again at the Beater position. I didn't like having quafffles launched at my face, so Keeper was out too. I was about to pitch my broom into the rubbish bin forever when he suggested we have a go at the position of Chaser._

"And did you best him? You did, didn't you?" Drew asked.

"No, I didn't. But I almost did," Lily responded.

_That's when Scorpius looked straight in my face and told me that I was a natural born Chaser and that I was bloody stupid not to pursue a Professional Chaser position with one of the International teams. I was flabbergasted, but hecht, it was Scorpius Malfoy telling me this, someone with a reputation in Quidditch that was one for the history books he was that good. He then showed me some tricks that he'd seen other Chaser's on the league do, and my game improved tenfold just on that one day. Later on I did beat him at Chaser and well you know the rest, so far as Quidditch goes. I got serious about Quidditch, I quit my silly job at Honeydukes and Luke, well, he supported me, but not wholeheartedly, not like Scorpius did. _"I think in Luke's mind we would get married, I'd pop out a few kids and then spend the rest of my days changing nappies. No offense Drew—"

"It's alright, I don't mind nappies. You won't mind either once you see your newborn's face for the first time and you hold him or her. It's a game changer once that happens."

"I hope you're right…Anyways…"

_We had a good rivalry, as I was always a fan of the Irish and that was the one team that Scorpius despised playing. He said that their fans were unruly and often took to throwing things at the rival team, so he hated playing them, especially in Ireland on their home turf. I would of course raz him every chance I got, knowing it got under his skin. He in turn would tease me back and ask me which Pro team had drafted me. His teasing only made me work that much harder on my skills, and Scorpius would give me advice, good advice that in the end helped me land a position on the Irish team._

"Alright, so you both innocently flirted with each other for quite some time. Now get to the shagging part. How did things go from friendly to steaming hot sex?"

_It was after the match in Ireland. Scorpius had been bested by their Seeker once before, so he came out fierce. He fouled our Seeker and was ejected from the game for a brief time out. That's when the fans started throwing exploding snap cards, flaming dung and just anything else that they could conjure up at him. He was pelted by hoards of Irish fans. I felt bad for him, but I was hardly in a position to do anything, as the Puddlemere Chaser was elbowing me in the ribs each time I went to pass the quaffle. It was a brutal game, on both sides and nobody was really playing by the rules. In the end, Scorpius caught the snitch, but then an angry hoard of fans attacked him on the field after the game. I might have to rethink my allegiance to Ireland after that. It wasn't right at all. I myself got into a fist fight with their Chaser and she clobbered me senseless. I broke two ribs and Scorpius had his nose broken in two places and a dislocated shoulder. We ended up in the infirmary together._

_The first night we didn't talk much. We were both busted up bloody and a bit knackered after such a brutal match. It's a mandatory three days in infirmary when you're injured, enough to require a trip to the infirmary that is. By the second day, we were both going a bit stir crazy and the Healer was a royal cow, who kept telling us to be quiet and to rest, that our chatter was giving her a headache. So, by that night we devised a plan to break out. Neither of us wanted to be there and our injuries were almost completely healed. That's when Scorpius snuck into the potions pantry and then micked the Healer with a sleeping draught. I supported him in his efforts, so I can't really blame him. We left after that and we flew on our brooms to this quaint village in the countryside. We were tired by that time and it was getting dark, so we checked into a bed and breakfast. It was nice, and the owner of the establishment just assumed that we were married so she put us up in the same room. Since she didn't recognize either of us and since we weren't supposed to be out of the infirmary, per our contract with the league, we decided to play along with the facade. Well, we played a long too well._

_At dinner we called one another cupcake and darling and the owner bought into the whole ruse. She gushed about what a cute couple we were and how we would have beautiful babies together one day. Scorpius and I both rolled our eyes, but then after dinner when we retired to our room, with a bottle of elf made wine and a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries which the owner had been so nice as to leave in our room…Uh…we just, you know…_

"No, tell me!"

"We had sex. It just sort of happened. We were joking around, congratulating ourselves on fooling her so well into believing us a real couple. That's when Scorpius posed the question, what if we were?"

"Were what? I thought this was about a hot affair."

"We just started talking about what if _we were_ a couple? You know, a bit of a role-play I guess you could say."

_It started with a simple backrub, and then it progressed from there. The bottle of wine was gone, and it was late into the night so I said that we should go to bed. A bit tipsy, I started to undress and Scorpius asked if he could watch. I was feeling happy, and sexy so I probably stripped off my clothes in a less than normal way. I mean, I did a bit of a striptease, twirling around the bedpost, feeling lightheaded. By the time I was done, Scorpius reached for my wrist and pulled me onto him. His kiss was molten and we fooled around a lot. I don't know what came over me, but I found myself straddling him, playfully pinning him. He would flip me over and pin me and I could feel his erection grinding into me the more we rolled around kissing. Then it just happened. We were naked and alone and he was saying things to me that I'd waited years for Luke to say. Dirty things, not at all the things a nice boy would say. He told me how hot my arse looked on a broom, and how he loved when I gave him shit when he was cocky and arrogant—that I was the only one who knew how to put him in place. I told him that I looked forward to those exchanges and that my heart skipped a beat when he walked into the room. We said a lot of things that we shouldn't have been saying, and yet it was all true. It was two years of flirting, holding back feelings and it call came out and we made love. The worst part about it is that I should regret it. I know I should because it hurt Persephone and Luke so badly, but that night was magical and special and it's one I won't ever forget."_

"No, I don't imagine that you will, since he put a bun in your oven. Lily, you're in love. He loves you too if I'd have to wager to guess."

"How can you know that for sure?"

"Because everything you just described, is exactly how I feel about Damien, and how he feels about me." Lily frowned. "Hey, cousin, there are worse things in the world than being in love with the father of your unborn baby," Drew said and she brushed the back of her hand against her cheek. Lily gave her a half smile.

"Yeah, except for the fact that I made him think that I hate him."

"Then tell him you don't. Tell him you love him." She made it all sound so simple to Lily, yet it felt anything but simple. Their last meeting had not gone well.

"I can't. I tried sending an owl but the owl returned my letter. He must be furious with me."

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

Hermione stood in line at the Office of Marriage (and divorce consequently, as it was now allowed to divorce in the wizarding world. This after several witches and wizards killed themselves over having to remain married to someone who made them perpetually miserable. After one high profile case, where the couple offed themselves rather than living a married life together and chose death over being together, Draco, as acting Minister, had to sign a decree allowing wizarding couples to divorce. He himself didn't believe in it, but the majority of witches and wizards who were not quite so lucky in love, did and Draco felt that he owed it to them to do with their lives what they wanted to do, short of offing themselves) and she paced. It was standard procedure to sign a written consent of Engagement. That was another law Draco had enacted. There was a required six month waiting period before a couple could get married. Draco had hoped that by making couples wait (barring certain circumstances where a child was involved) that the divorce rate would decline, and couples would get to know one another better before taking the plunge. Of course privately, Draco and Hermione had laughed about that bylaw because they themselves had gotten married in lickety-split fashion. Their marriage was a fluke though, themselves soul mates, so it had worked out in the end, but that was not the norm.

"Next," the clerk said and Hermione and Ron stepped up. Ron slid their signed paperwork across the booth and the witch picked it up and perused the document, the document that would officially state their engagement and intent to marry. "Looks good," she said with a smile. Hermione's ring clanked on the counter as it once again fell from her finger.

"Blast, that's the second time," she said as she scooped it up and slid it back onto her finger.

"Perhaps you should have it fitted," she advised and she looked at Ron.

"Oh, that's not my ring. Merlin, I couldn't afford something so nice. No, that's her former husband's ring," Ron said casually without any sign of jealousy. Hermione smiled at his maturity and it reconfirmed her decision to marry him, for convenience sake only.

"Oh?" the clerk said with an odd look on her face.

"It's a keepsake," Hermione said with a polite smile.

"Strange," the witch said and then she began to rifle through a dusty, old file cabinet in search of something. Ron and Hermione looked at one another with perplexed expressions as they waited.

"Oh, now I see," the witch said as she held an old parchment between her fingers.

"See what?"

"Well, you're Hermione Malfoy. I thought I recognized you, but I didn't want to say anything. I'm so sorry about Mr. Malfoy, he was a fine Minister."

"Yes he was. Thank you."

"Well, that explains why your ring just fell off your finger."

"No, I've just lost a little weight. Haven't had much of an appetite what with everything," Hermione piped in.

"No, dear. When you got engaged you broke your marriage vows. That's why it slipped off your finger."

"I did _not_ break any vows," Hermione said addimently.

"You are misunderstanding me, Mrs. Malfoy. You did nothing wrong," she said and she patted her hand. A wash of relief fell over Hermione.

"Sometimes these things happen. It's supposed to do it automatically, but perhaps because of who your husband was, the security enchantments would have prevented Sharky from doing his job, or it's just normal backlog. No matter, I can feed it to him myself and you will be good to go."

"Sharky?" Ron asked. Both their jaws dropped when the witch pointed behind her to the snarling, metal machine with teeth. They gaped as stacks of official documents hovered through the air towards the beast of a machine. One by one they fed themselves, like lambs being led to slaughter as the razor sharp teeth of Sharky chomped on a healthy diet of parchment. Hermione watched in horror as the woman turned around and fed the document in her hand to Sharky.

"What was that? What did you just feed it?" Hermione asked, almost afraid to ask.

"Oh, that was just your old engagement application. You and Mr. Malfoy's," the woman said with a smile.

"But Draco and I were never officially engaged!"

"Oh? Hmm, oh dear. Opps," she said and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Opps, what?" Ron said defensively and he squeezed Hermione's hand for support.

"That must have been your marriage decree. No matter though, it should have been fed to Sharky a fortnight ago, but he's been rather backed up. Regardless, I can now process your engagement application. There, done," she said again beaming. Hermione felt horror stricken though and the ring on her finger once again fell from her hand. She shoved it back on with force but it again fell off.

"Ron, get me out of here," she said as her eyes teared up. "I mean now. Get me out of here _now_ before I cast an Unforgivable on her!"

"Dear, the Minister was declared dead. This is just a formality. There is no reason to be hostile towards me. I'm just doing my job. You wanted to marry Mr. Weasley? Now you can, after the sixth month wait period that is."

"Did you bloody have to feed her marriage license to that thing?" Ron shrieked at the woman. "It was barbaric. Have you no sympathy? She just lost her husband! God, Padma, I killed her," Ron said, himself tearing up.

"_Avada_—" Hermione said with a rising fury, but then Ron gripped her tightly around the middle.

A _POP_ was heard as they apparrated out.

Review!?

Ok don't get all scared. What you think may happen won't. Yes, this was a little sad a chapter, but trust me.


	15. The Gypsy

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Fifteen

"Shh it'll be alright 'Mione," Ron soothed when he apparrated them to a park outside the Ministry. It wasn't alright though, as the snow began to fall and Hermione was reminded of the night that she was first married. They had sat together on a park bench, with Draco hyperventilating into a brown, paper bag. He'd given her a smoldering kiss by the very park bench where she and Ron stood, and Hermione was overcome with sadness.

"No, it won't be. Ron, I have to go," she said, her eyes a teary mess.

"You know where to find me," he shouted as she trod off in a hurry.

"Thanks," she called back, but inside she felt traumatized. That's when it dawned on her, and she quickly spun on her heels and apparrated home to Serenity. She tore through the house, ignoring Persephone who looked to be in brighter spirits as she sat curled up on the sofa with a book in her hand and a lazy smile on her face.

"Hermione? Something wrong," the young woman called but she ignored her as she burst through the doors of Draco's study. It was a room she had sealed off, unwilling to go into it since Draco's death. The whole room reminded her of Draco. All of his books, mementos, keepsakes and memories. "Merlin," she said aloud when she looked at the framed pictures that adorned the walls behind his desk. There were pictures of them, of their kids, of happy times and she was overcome with the sense of loss. It had to be there, so she searched frantically through Draco's desk. "Come on, it has to be here," she muttered, but it wasn't. She just needed to read those words again. She didn't know why, but it was important to her to have them reinforced in her mind. _Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Draco and Hermione Malfoy for entering into this legal and binding contract._ _You are today on this 24__th__ day of December joined forever in matrimony._ Hermione sobbed when she couldn't find their original marriage decree though she distinctly remembered that they had kept it. The clerk at the Ministry just had to have destroyed the document from when they renewed their vows, but not the original decree. No, it existed; she just needed to find it. All of it was moot anyway, as with Draco being declared dead their marriage was neither legal nor binding, but she didn't care, she wanted it just the same. It was something important to her, and to Draco and no damn machine named Sharky could take that away from her. Draco was hers in life and in death.

"I love you so much Dragon. If your ghost is here, could you please come and talk with me? I have things I need to ask you. I got engaged to Ron, but only because he's the one wizard alive that will let me love you. Draco, are you here?" she asked, staring at the picture of her husband, the one where he was reigned in as Minister of Magic for the first time. He was so young and handsome then, and over the years he'd aged like a fine wine, becoming even more handsome if that was even possible. "Gods I miss you."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't meaning to eavesdrop, but would you like to come and have some tea with me by fire?" Persephone asked when she padded into the room and wrapped a comforting arm around her former mother-in-law. "Hell, I think maybe a stiff shot of firewhiskey might be better under the circumstances. Come on," she said and she led Hermione out from Draco's study as she closed the doors behind her.

"We were married on Christmas Eve," Hermione said softly.

"I know, and Christmas is right around the corner. This is going to be hard for you, this year, but probably every year, at least for a while. I'll be here though and so will the others. Even though I'm not married to Scorpius anymore, I still think of you as my family."

"Thank you Persephone, I feel the same. I just can't do Christmas this year. I just can't."

An owl swooped in and rapped at the kitchen window. Persephone threw open the window and plucked the letter from its talons.

"Hermione, umm, you have a letter."

"Burn it in the fire with the rest."

"No, not this one. It's from the Headmaster of Hogwarts." Hermione sighed and snatched it from Persephone.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Harry was already there when she arrived at Hogwarts, and he didn't look happy, not one bit.

"'Mione," he said and he stood and greeted her with a peck on the cheek.

"You want to give it to me before I go in there and have to hear what our kids got up to? I'm really not in the mood for any more shocking news today. I had enough of that at the Ministry earlier," Hermione said perturbed.

"I don't know, supposedly Albus cast the Cruciatus curse on some sixth year boy, but Jillian was on the scene too. The boy is in the infirmary recovering. He should be alright. Neither Albus nor Jillian are talking though."

"Lovely," Hermione said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"There's something else, er—uh, it's about Jillian."

"What about her?"

"You sort of just have to see for yourself. It's not my place," Harry said and Hermione bowled through the door to the Headmaster's office and then gaped when she saw her little Jillybean looking like a Knockturn Alley streetwalker.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Both were let off with a stern warning, that in addition to a week-long suspension. Even though it was Albus who had cast the spell, it seemed that the Headmaster believed that their whole story stunk to high heaven. Rather than put their wands to the test though, and risk irritating one of the biggest donors to the school, one Harry Potter, the Headmaster instead decided to punish both students. As if that wasn't bad enough, Hermione had to look at her daughter, who was dressed up like it was Halloween. She had a cake face of makeup with dark eyeliner and mascara. Her breasts were once again three sizes too big and her cleavage spilled out of her shirt like a muggle Pop icon. Hermione was livid. She pulled Jillian by the arm and then chastised her all the way to the apparating safe zone, just off the school grounds. "How do I get you to see that this," she said and she pointed at Jillian's get up, "Is not attractive."

"I'm tired of looking plain. Besides, the boys' seem to like it," Jilly shot back as they finally made it back to their home at Serenity.

"But what sort of boys', Jilly? Not the noble or good sort. Not like your father. Do you have any idea how he would feel having to look at you dressed like this?"

"Yeah, well Dad is dead, right? Gone. He won't ever have to look at me, will he?"

"I ought to slap you for that."

"Fine, then go ahead," Jillian said and she scaled the staircase, slamming her bedroom door and locking it. Hermione took a calming breath and then retreated to the living room where she collapsed on the sofa. She reached forward, picked up the bottle of fire whiskey Persephone had left on the table and uncorked it before she knocked it back, taking huge gulps of fire.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"Do you hear that?" Luke said with caution as they paddled through the illuminated, purple waters of the Fae river. The current had picked up and the river had widened, so wherever they were going, Luke was confident that they were getting closer. That's when he heard the scratching sounds, like nails on a blackboard and he cocked his head, his senses on high alert.

"Yeah I hear it. Sounds like a waterfall," Scorpius said and Luke's eyes went wide.

"Damn you're right, but that's not what I meant. I heard a scratching sound."

"Well this puts a minor crimp in things doesn't it," Lucius said calmly. "Paddle in the opposite direction. Quickly boys'," he said and all of the Malfoy men moved swiftly as they heaved, dragging the oars against the turbid current as their boat slowed.

"Can you see it?" Scorpius asked from the back of the boat.

"Not yet, but it's getting closer," Luke said and then he heard the scratching sound again. That's when the plummeting drop fell into view and Luke cursed under his breath. "No time. Hang on, we're going over!" he shouted and then the boat was bouncing on the tumultuous currents as they picked up speed. The first one wasn't so bad, as their boat moved safely down the rapids, but the second one caught them off guard and they quickly found themselves in the vertical position as they careened down a twenty meter drop. The water engulfed the boat, splashing them with the purple waters, but they made it. Luke sighed with relief. "Everyone alright?" he asked as he scanned the river ahead. The waters were once again smooth.

"Scorpius, where's Scorpius? Lucius asked in alarm.

"Do you see him?" Luke said with frantic worry.

"No," Lucius shouted. "Scorpius!" he shouted.

"He's here somewhere," Luke said and then he started stabbing his oar into the river, hoping to hit something solid. It felt like painstakingly, long minutes rolled by as he stabbed feverishly at the water and then finally, at long last, he hit something solid. "He's here, help me get him up," Luke cried and he thrust his arms into the water, finding Scorpius's limp arm. He heaved with all of his might, and then Lucius was pulling Luke backwards so he didn't fall over. They fell in a heap in the middle of the row boat and Luke pushed the dead weight of his brother off of him as he scrambled for his wand. Scorpius wasn't breathing. He was pale and lifeless and the grim realization that he might just lose not just his Dad, but his _only_ brother too smacked him in the face like a rogue bludger. Lucius was crushed under Scorpius and he couldn't move.

"_Renervate_!" Luke chanted, holding his wand on his brother and then he watched and waited with bated breath. Scorpius's eyes popped open and then he coughed and spewed water from his lungs. "Merlin, that was too close," Luke said and he propped Scorpius up as Lucius moaned and crawled back into the seated position where he began to paddle to the nearby, rock shore.

"Who—I know you, don't I?" Scorpius said with a perplexed stare.

"Scorps? You right?" Luke asked with the sound of worry in his voice.

"It's the water," Lucius said. "It's putrid. He's looking at us as if he doesn't recognize us. As if he's been obliviated," Lucius said and Luke was deep in thought at that.

"Grandfather, we have a hole in the boat and we're taking on water. Might I suggest that we row, faster!" Luke breathed a sigh of relief when they managed to make it to the stony banks, as they hauled the boat ashore. Lucius went straight to work repairing the damaged boat. "We will stop here and rest a while. I want to take a look at Scorps. I think you're onto something with the water though," Luke said and he began to rifle through his bag for his potions kit.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"Hermione," she heard as she took another shot of fire whiskey and hiccupped. "I knocked, but nobody answered. Gods 'Mione, I came as soon as I heard," she said and Hermione was shocked when she saw Ginny Potter standing before her. She was dressed like a gypsy, her hair lush and long as it fell down past her bum. She wore colorful beads in her hair and she wore a long skirt and a scarf around her neck. Her lips were a deep shade of crimson red. "Give us a hug," she said and the bangles around her wrists and ankles jangled as she made her way to Hermione and hugged her tight against her bosom. "Had I heard sooner, you know I would have come," Ginny said squeezing her half to death.

"He's gone," Hermione said, slightly tipsy and feeling numb.

"I know honey, and I'm so sorry. Mum owled me and said that you and Ron were engaged and that Draco had died tragically. I'm pissed with her for not telling me sooner. Someone should have told me," Ginny said and she smoothed her hands over Hermione's face and then kissed her square on the lips. Hermione froze.

"Why did you just kiss me?" Hermione asked.

"Oh it's just a family thing. We all do that at the carnival. I keep forgetting I'm back in the wizarding world. Muggles like to kiss a lot."

"No, Gin, that's not a muggle thing, it's maybe a gypsy thing I wouldn't really know. Anyways, thanks, I think," Hermione said and then Ginny was dabbing at Hermione's lips.

"I'm sorry, I got a bit of my lipstick on you," she said and she let out a loud belly laugh. Ginny hadn't changed. _Bizarre_, was the only way that Hermione could describe her visit. It had been over a year since she seen her friend, and Ginny, seemed completely transformed. She smelled of body odor as if she hadn't bathed in a month. When Hermione scrunched her nose from the odor, Ginny laughed and told her that her new man liked the natural essence of her aroma. It was not an aroma though, it was an unnatural stench.

"I hate to barge in like this, but I simply had to see you. I need a place to stay for a bit, is it alright if I crash here?"

"Why Gin, are you back for good?"

"No, I mean, I don't know. I suppose it depends on Harry and the kids. I miss them all terribly."

"Ginny…" Hermione said. "You can stay here for a night or two, but I'm not so sure that Harry will appreciate you being here. I mean, the way you left him."

"Oh that," Ginny said as she reached for the bottle of fire whiskey and took a swig. "Harry understands me. He won't hold it against me. Anyways, I brought you a gift," she said with a perky smile.

"Oh? I'm not doing Christmas this year. With Draco gone, I just can't handle the holidays this year."

"Trust me, this is something that you need, especially if what Padma told me about my brother is true. He's not very loaded in that department," Ginny said and she pointed to her groin area. Unless Padma and Parvati were wrong and you and my brother are happily shagging-"

Hermione's jaw fell open.

"No! Ron lost Padma and I lost Draco, and we just, we're just friends Ginny."

"I figured as much, which is why you are going to thank me for the gift." She reached into her extra-large, banana purse, that was woven from colorful threads and beads and then she pulled out a box.

"I don't make shit at the carnival. Muggles are cheap, so I couldn't wrap it. But this cost me all of my tip money for the week. Open it!" she said with enthusiasm. Hermione opened the box and then pulled out the large, pink, phallic object. She gazed at it. There was no mistaking what it resembled.

"It's a vibrator, and a dildo, all in one! You put it in your—well I like to call it the Ginny box, and then the tip vibrates and you rub it on your—"

"I get it, alright!" Hermione said embarrassed. "I _am_ a muggle-born, remember? I am aware of what this is Ginny. Besides, Draco was kinky. He had a toy box of all sorts of things, some of which I still don't know what they do," Hermione said, almost with a tone of regret.

"I love mine. I use it daily."

"Daily, really? But I thought your new man was—"

"Limp. Most of the time anyways. He's getting up there in age. My Philip is the best thing that ever happened to me," Ginny said with a smile.

"Oh is that the gypsy man's name?"

"No, no that's what I named my vibrator. You will too once you get hooked. Batteries are expensive, but I found a spell that works at recharging them."

"Ugh," Hermione said. _Draco_, she screamed in her head.

"Hermione I'm running out, but if you want, when I get back I could try to talk to Jill-" Persephone said as she entered the room, looking decked out to the nines in a pretty dress that accentuated her petite frame and figure. She stopped short though when she saw Ginny sitting next to Hermione.

"Thanks Persephone, but I think I just figured out how I'm going to spend my Christmas." Ginny looked at Hermione and then at the vibrator.

"Merlin, no, not that," Hermione said slurring her speech ever so slightly. "I think Jilly and I will spend the holidays doing charity work. Mmmhmm, it will be good for her to spend some time doing for others. Do say hello to Harry for me, won't you? You look beautiful Persephone," Hermione said and Persephone gave her a nervous smile, refusing to look at Ginny before she left.

"Harry? Why would Sapphire say hello to Harry for you?"

"Why? Well she isn't going by the name of Sapphire anymore, not since your daughter and my son conceived a baby out of wedlock."

"Lily and Luke? I'm going to be a Grandma?" Ginny said bewildered.

"Lily and Scorpius," Hermione corrcted and then she watched Ginny's eyes go wide.

"That's right, and Persephone is dating Harry now. You really should owl more often Gin," Hermione said cheekily and then she raised the bottle of fire whiskey to her lips. "Cheers to being Grandmas'!" Hermione said and the expression on Ginny's face dropped at that.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

Luke swished the vial of purple in one of the test tubes as Scorpius sat on the shore, warming himself by a small campfire that Lucius had conjured with his wand. "Did you hear a faint ruckus?" Lucius quipped as he stood guard.

"It can't be a ruckus if it's faint," Luke drawled.

"What?" Lucius asked, his hearing not quite what it used to be.

"It's either a faint sound or it's a ruckus, it can't be both," Luke explained. "Never mind. Was it a scratching?"

"Yes, like that of the dodo bird. I've only ever seen one once, and it was inside a rather large nest. They're quite rare you know."

"Well, I need to work on this potion. My daft brother seems a bit more daft than usual. Why don't you go and investigate?" Luke said, as he added two sprigs of valerian, one droplet of lithe river water and a bezoar to the concoction he was brewing in a cauldron that bubbled over the fire.

"What do I do?" Scorpius asked, when Luke passed him the potion to drink.

"Oh for bloody sakes, Scorps, drink it, and let's hope that you return to your senses." He did, and it worked. Scorpius leapt to his feet, remembering the steep waterfall and his brush with death. He shivered. "Good, you seem to be back to normal," Luke said as he packed his potion kit away in his knapsack.

"Good? I'd hardly say I'm good at all. I almost died in that shitty boat!"

"Yeah, but you didn't. I pulled you out and brewed you an _Anti-stupid I fell in the Fae river and lost my marbles_, potion. We're even now by the way. You saved me on the cliff and I saved you at the waterfall."

"Is that what you named the potion?" Scorpius said annoyed. Luke laughed.

"No, that's entirely too long. How about we name it the _Scorpius Stupidus_ for short. It's a simple potion really, one that counteracts the agents in this water that seem to have an effect on the brain, the memory parts of the brain." Scorpius gave him an odd look and Luke sighed. "Yes, even my jock brother has a mind it seems. It's lethe river water, valerian, and a bezoar. Child's play, so don't get your ego up, it was a simple potion to brew once I figured out what was causing the water in the river to turn purple and to erase one's memory."

"You did all that, just sitting here on the banks in the dark?"

"Yeah," Luke said and he shrugged. "I mean look at the walls. The cavern walls are quartz crystals. See how they glow purple?" he said and he pointed. "Whatever powers these crystals has seeped into the waters making them toxic."

"I'm impressed. But what powers them? Did you figure that out too with all of your infinite wisdom?"

"Not yet, but the water is getting darker as we go down the river, so I reckon we're going to find out soon enough when we reach the source." That's when they heard a terrible shrieking and then a flapping noise that came from above them.

"Bloody bird, put me down!" Lucius shouted. Scorpius and Luke looked at one another and then they both pulled out their wands.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"Chayelle said that you needed me, that it was some sort of an emergency?" Glinel said folding her arms and holding back anger. "I was conducting matters of the realm."

"I've only been in Fae for a few short days. Why is my hair this bloody long?" Draco asked as he stared at his reflection in a mirror. "Well?"

"Vanity," Glinel said and she scoffed. "This was not a matter of urgency. Besides, I prefer it, so just put the robe on if you insist on wearing something and cease with your constant whining," she said in thorough disgust.

"To you perhaps not, but to me this is bloody urgent. Whining?" Draco said and he quirked and eyebrow at the blonde, self-proclaimed Goddess.

"Darling, I misspoke," she said covering up for her show of accidental hostility. "Time moves differently in this realm. Your body is adjusting to the crystals. It isn't anything to worry about. After the ceremony, you will be aligned with our world and the clock of time will unwind itself."

"Are you saying that I'm aging more rapidly since I've come into this realm?"

"Questions! Why must warlocks always ask so many questions?" Glinel shouted in frustration. She then turned and smiled and smoothed her hand through her blonde tresses. "Darling, you are still on warlock time. In your time you have been gone for weeks, perhaps even months."

"Weeks?" Draco repeated, feeling a knot the size of a bezoar in his throat. Hermione must have been out of her mind with worry, not to mention their kids. _Jilly_, Draco thought to himself and he was awash with anguish and guilt. It had to be the worst for her, having lain witness to Draco being flung by the troll and tossed like a rag doll into the river. He had to get back to them. As he stared at his overgrown beard and shoulder length, blond hair he barely recognized himself.

"What do you remember of that world?" Glinel asked and she narrowed his eyes on him.

"Not much. Just glimpses. I'm alright, aren't I?"

"Splendid! You look dashing. This new look really suits you, Min—Draco, darling. Come, let us open the realm and then rejoice in marriage as we forge an unbreakable alliance between the realms. Peace and prosperity can only be gained by our noble union."

"I'm a bit nervous," Draco lied. "Can I get a hug for support?"

"Oh!" Glinel replied, caught off guard. She cringed at the thought, but when Draco opened his arms to her she reluctantly went to him and gave him a polite hug. His arms folded in on her and he held her tightly in place. She struggled to free herself but he had her snug as he forced his hand down upon her forehead. The look of shock in her eyes and then the rage gave Draco chills as he pushed his will onto her, forcing himself into her mind.

"You are no match for me! Damn you Ilythea!" she cursed. "You don't even know what it is that you wield," Glinel said through gritted teeth as she pushed him back with force. She was right, it wasn't enough. He didn't fully understand the ancient knowledge he'd been given, and yet, he had another arsenal of magical power at his disposal, one that Glinel had long since abandoned. He held his hand steadfast on her forehead as she struggled in his arms, and then he chanted, hoping to hell that his attempt at wandless magic was a success and not a failure.

"_Legilimens_!"

"No,no! You can't make me tell you," she said, wincing, but Draco could feel the barriers of her mind breaking down.

Review!?

Thank you so much to everyone for their awesome and thought provoking reviews! Keep 'em coming and I will keep plugging away at this thing until it's finished.


	16. Expecto Patronum

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Sixteen

"Gosh, you look radiant," Harry said when he opened the door and saw her standing there. He looped his arm around her waist and then invited her into the log cabin in the woods.

"What's the matter?" Persephone said when she felt a certain sadness, hiding behind his smile. "You're not coming down ill are you?" she asked and then she laid her hand on his forehead to check for fever.

"No, I'm fine. It's Albus," Harry sighed. "Persephone, I have reservations at the _Wandless Warlock_ tonight for us, but I'm going to have to cancel. You should go though, you look so pretty. Perhaps one of your healer mates could join you? A er—female friend perhaps?" Harry said and Persephone giggled at his show of possessiveness.

"Oh, you're cancelling?" Persephone said and she frowned.

"Albus was suspended from school. I can't leave him here alone. I mean I could, he's old enough to mind himself, but—"

"You don't trust what he might do if you left him to his own devices?" she asked.

"Something like that," Harry replied and he sauntered into the living room and plopped down on the couch, burying his head in his hands.

"Well, I'm not really hungry anyways, and I'm not such a fan of crowded places. I could stay and keep you company?"

"That would be aces," Harry said and he beamed. "He's been acting out for a while, ever since Ginny left."

"Speaking of Ginny," Persephone said nervously as she fidgeted with her fingers. "She's at Serenity visiting with Hermione. I was a bit shocked to see her there."

"Really?" Harry said and he looked surprised. Persephone nodded. An awkward silence fell between them at that.

"I could go talk to him?"

"Yeah?" Harry looked enthusiastic at the idea so Persephone smiled and pointed down the hall. Harry nodded.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"You're not my Mum. Just because you're shagging my Dad doesn't mean that you are anything to me," Albus said, twirling his wand between his fingers as he laid on his four poster bed in a modest room without a lot of glitz and glamour, though fully functional and nice.

"No, I'm not your Mum, but I do know what you're going through."

"I doubt that," he grumbled.

"So did you Crucio him because he was hurting Jillian?"

"He's a jerk. He's the biggest loser and all he wants is to shag Jilly," he said angrily and he sat up, his face turning red.

"And you don't want that because you want Jillian for yourself?" Persephone asked.

"That's not likely to happen. I look like a weak wizard to her now."

"Why do you say that, Albus?"

"It should have been me that hexed him, not her. But no, he beat me on the draw and I looked like a fool." Albus immediately clammed up after realizing that he'd spilled the beans. "Now you're going to tell my father, aren't you?"

"No. It can stay between us if you'd like."

"Really? I figured he sent you in her to grill me for information."

"He's worried about you, but he didn't send me in here at all. I offered."

"Why?"

"Because I was young once too. I wasn't much older than you when I fell in love and married. I don't recommend that by the way."

"She wants to go all the way; at least that's what she said. I think she misses her Dad and just wants to be held by a bloke, but you should hear the way the guys talk about her now. I want to hex them all when they talk about her tits and arse."

"You care about her, so it's normal that you feel protective of her. If you think that all she wants is to be held, then why don't you do that? You don't have to go 'all the way' in order to show a person that you care. I'm also certain that Jilly knows you care. The fact that you came to her defense shows that you are a good friend. You also stood up to a much bigger boy, and that is hardly the action of a weak wizard."

"I do like snogging her. I mean, a lot," Albus said with a dreamy sort of look on his face.

"Then hold her and snog. Keep your boundaries though where sex is involved. Jillian will thank you for it later. She just lost her father and she's feeling a bit lost and alone. It's your duty as a friend to keep her on the right path, as much as you can anyways. In the end you aren't responsible for her if she decides to date older boys who are rubbish."

"Did you just say that it's alright to snog?"

"Well, I mean at your age curiosity is natural. As I said, I was young once too."

"Dad would kill me if he knew I'd snogged her in the broom closet at school."

"Just keep it to snogging only and I'm sure your Dad will come around. He loves you. He just wants what's best for you. Speaking of your Dad, I was thinking we could all play a game together."

"Exploding Snap?" Albus asked eagerly.

"Sure, though you will have to teach me how to play."

"You're aces Persephone," Albus said and he raised his hand and gave her a high five. And so, Persphone's big date night turned out to be a game of cards with Harry and Albus, as the trio laughed into the night. It wasn't what she expected, but it was loads of fun regardless, and it was good to see Harry and Albus getting on so well. She blushed when Harry looked at her and winked, mouthing the words, _thank you_, to her. He then leaned over and kissed her, in full view of his son.

"It's not polite to snog in front of children," Albus joked. "But since its Persephone, I guess it's alright," he said.

"Good to hear since I intend to snog her senseless," Harry said gazing into her eyes. "Off to bed Albus."

"Yeah, yeah," he said with an eye roll.

"Bedroom then?" Persephone blurted out and Harry hopped up from the couch, plucked her into his arms and then scaled the stairs to the loft bedroom above whilst she giggled and blushed in his arms.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Hermione awoke with a raging headache as she crawled out of bed and made her way downstairs. She could hear the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen as she yawned and made her way down the sweeping, marble staircase.

"I learned that trick at the carnival. It's Muggle magic. Pretty sweet, huh?"

"Yeah, it is. You're a lot of fun Aunt Ginny. I wish my Mum would lighten up and act more like you, although you do need a bath. You smell like a dead cat," Jillian said and then Ginny laughed and agreed with the blonde. "Tell me about the Muggles you read fortunes to."

"Most of them are nutters, and just want to be told that they are going to be rich and fall in love. That's mostly what I tell them. The tips are much better when you have something positive to say."

"So you lie to them?"

"I suppose so, though I see it more as comforting them. Sometimes though, through Divination, I do see good things in their futures, so it's not as if I'm really lying."

"Divination is crap, and you _are_ lying to them for money, Ginny," Hermione piped in as she entered the kitchen.

"Well, who cares, they're just Muggles," Ginny said with a smile and Jillian laughed again. "Once I had this odd little man come into my tent, oh it must have been weeks ago now. He was asking me how much I'd charge to conjure a ghost. He offered me staggering amounts of gold too. I told him that I'd do it, if I knew how, but that perhaps he should off the poor bastard first and then perhaps he'd get lucky and see his ghost," Ginny said and Hermione slammed her hands down on the table, angrily.

"Out. I'm sorry Ginny, you're a dear friend, but you have to go. Now. I can't have you filling Jillian's mind with all this rubbish."

"You are such a witch, Mum. I like Ginny being here. It's better than being stuck here with you!"

"Go upstairs and put on some proper clothes. Wipe the clown makeup off and get rid of the glamours. Now young lady. Move it!" Hermione chastised.

"I hate you. I wish it were you that Mountain Troll attacked, and not Dad," she cried. "Then he would be here instead of you!" Hermione's hand flew as she slapped her mouthy daughter across the face. Jillian stood there in shock, holding her hand to her stinging cheek and then she bolted up the stairs and out of sight.

"I'm sorry Hermione, truly I am. I wasn't thinking. I'll leave now. I'm so sorry, please forgive me?" Ginny said as she gathered her things and then quickly apparrated away from Serenity.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"You want to turn them red," Draco said, his silver eyes looking straight into her dark and corrupted soul. "You want to turn all the crystals red, and then chaos and war will follow, but you haven't been able to do it. You need the combined magic from our realm to do it. Ilythea…she can do it, but she won't and without her here to correct the many failed attempts and mistakes that you've made, the whole realm would fall, along with this bloody mountain. You are inept and incompetent. Voldemort knew it too, that's why he chose another. What did you do to her? Did you have her killed so that you could take her place? Doesn't matter. I'm going to turn off the crystals and there is nothing you can do to stop me," Draco said and then he shoved Glinel away from him as he sped for the door.

"No, you can't. I won't let you!" she called out to him as she gave chase behind him. "You can't do it either! No witch or wizard can. Not alone."

"I can sure as hell try," Draco shouted as he darted in and out of the torch lit tunnels knowing exactly where he was going.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"Thank you," Lucius said, panting and out of breath. He was holding an egg under his arm, which he quickly stashed into his bag. The mother of the bird lay wounded, her massive wings flapping as she shrieked.

"We have to finish her off," Scorpius said and he gulped at seeing the bird in so much pain. Luke nodded. It was the humane thing to do. The killing curse hit it, both from Scorpius and Luke's wands, and yet the creature clung to life. Scorpius raised his wand, but he was unable to cast the spell on such a wounded and defenseless creature, who was afterall, only trying to protect its baby. "I—I can't do it," he said, his eyes misting over.

"_Avada kedavra_," Lucius said and the bird fell silent.

"Blasted beast, it would have eaten me you know. This wasn't its egg. It planned to eat the egg and me!"

They scrambled into the boat in silence and then they pushed off into the purple waters of the Fae river. That's when the walls of the caverns began to flicker and they all turned their attention to the fading walls and moreover what was revealed to them.

"The portals—the ones Teya mentioned. That must be one of them," Luke said when they saw witches and wizards, mulling about with packages in their hands as they shopped for holiday gifts on Diagon Alley. Luke picked up one of the stones that he'd brought onto the boat for a specific purpose and he threw it, but the rock exploded into red flames, completely obliterating it in the process. "She said the veil was the thickest at Diagon Alley. This was to be expected," Luke said as the paddled on.

"Look another," Scorpius said when they passed another flickering wall of the cave and Scorpius whizzed a rock at the scene of King's Cross. It snapped, but then a hole opened up and they watched as it landed on the platform, just on the other side. A child bent down and picked it up, staring dumbfounded at them, as if wondering where the rock came from.

"Good work. That's the one we will use to get Draco out," Lucius quipped and they all agreed. That's when they heard his shouts ring out, and the mouth of the river opened up into what looked like a lake.

"Dad?" both Scorpius and Luke shouted in unison.

"Draco, son, we hear you, where are you?" Lucius called out.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

The Tavern was exactly the same as it had always been. Hermione had made sure of that, as she and Draco owned it. The little tavern in Muggle London, was left to them by Ernest and Matilda, years earlier and they had kept it exactly as it was, although they did spruce up the kitchen and dining furniture but Draco had refused to fix the creaking stairs that led up to their cozy hideaway room, the room where they'd first lived together after they married on a whim, and the room they'd once again visited when they renewed their wedding vows years later. It was a special place for Hermione, and it just felt right being there.

"I am not serving Muggles food. That's commoner stuff. My Dad was the Minister of Magic. It's beneath me to serve Muggles," Jillian said snidely as they stepped through the doors of the tavern. Hermione ignored the fact that she had not taken off the glamours that made her look like a miniature sized prostitute. No, she was not going to let her get to her. Hermione had spent the better part of four days trying to take down the wards that Jillian craftily set up around her bedroom. She was a genius when it came to magic, something that Hermione would normally be exceedingly proud over, but as it was she was frustrated and furious at her daughter. When she exhausted all efforts to take down the wards, she finally admitted failure and called Harry Potter, Auror Potter that is, over to do the job. He did, and Hermione was shocked to find that Jillian was well fed and amusing herself by making a House Elf do a jig for her entertainment. Resourceful she was. She rented a House Elf from a catalog that Hermione had lying around the house. It was a new shop that had opened up on Diagon Alley. Hermione didn't believe in House Elves, but these elves were paid for their services, so she couldn't gripe too much about it. She was however disgusted with seeing her daughter use a House Elf in such a manner, and to go behind her back as such and order one in _her_ name, enraged her.

"We won't be feeding just any Muggles, Jilly," Hermione said with a smirk. "We will be feeding _homeless_ Muggles. One's off the streets of London." Hermione smiled victoriously when Jillian scowled.

"Bums? I'm not touching them. They're filthy."

"Yes you will. You will help them in, seat them and then serve them."

"Can I at least use my wand?"

"No, and if I catch you using it even once I will confiscate it. You will be polite and courteous and you will show them respect. Do try and remember that it's Christmas Eve and that the snow is piled up outside. These Muggles have no home, no job and no family. Count your blessings young lady, and act towards them as you would your own Mother. Scratch that," Hermione said. "Treat them as you would your own Father, since apparently I am to be hated by my darling teenage daughter."

"Whatever. Fine!" Jillian said in a huff as Hermione led her to the kitchen. Hermione set to work, preparing food as the December wind howled outside and a heavy snow blanketed the ground. _I love you Draco, she said to herself. Happy Christmas…Happy anniversary my love._ She wiped a tear away and then she stuffed a turkey and popped it into the oven. By nightfall the tavern would be filled with homeless people, and in so perhaps Jillian would learn something about giving back to those who were less fortunate.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"No!" Glinel shouted when Draco found his way to the rock bridge that loomed high above the hollowed mountain of Mayahasta. Draco looked up as he traversed the narrow bridge and he gaped when he saw the top of the crystal jutting out through the massive hole at the top of the mountain. No wonder the Fae fought tirelessly to get over the wall. They had to look at the purple crystal, the crystal that belonged to they and their people. It was sacrilege to the Fae to have the crystal flashing like a bloody beacon, putting off toxic levels of energy designed to hurt the once peaceful Fae. Draco could hear the Nightingales overhead as the squawked, warring with the Fae on the wall and protecting the crystal. All of this was done on Glinel's orders and Draco felt a white hot anger towards the woman as she followed him across the rock bridge. "Do not touch it. Do not!" But Draco smirked as he laid his hands upon the crystal. "I will fight against you. I will not let you destroy all that we have worked towards."

"_Mayahasta comme, dey lath seea_," Draco chanted, but then Glinel countered him with her own chants from the ancient language as the crystal began to flicker and change colors. It was a battle as Draco and Glinel fought to control the crystal. The walls shook and waves roared on the lake below. That's when he heard the voices of his son's and of his father, and Draco looked down, losing his concentration. That was precisely when Glinel made her move and a force of immeasurable power blew him backwards. He flailed as his body was thrown over the rock bridge. He caught onto the ledge just in the nick of time, though he was dangling precariously in the air. Glinel was chanting wildly and the crystal was turning a toxic shade of pinkish-red.

"Ilythea you must stop her! Ilythea," Draco shouted but nobody came. "Don't be afraid, Ilythea," Draco called out in his mind and then he saw her. She timidly made her way across the rock bridge, treading on light feet, but there was fear in her eyes as she approached Glinel from behind. "You have to stop her. She is drawing on my strength," Draco bit out, feeling his body drain of energy as it was passed from him to Glinel. "She will plunge both realms into war. Please," Draco begged.

"Teya? Listen to my Dad. He wouldn't lie. Please Teya," Luke shouted from below when he saw her turn around, too afraid to take on Glinel.

"Luke, turn the boat around. Get out of here now. I love you sons. Tell your mother I love her and tell Jillian she will always be my little girl. Now go. This place is evil. Go!" Draco begged.

"We came to rescue you," Scorpius called back and Draco looked down to see his son mount his broom. "I'm coming up after you."

"Scorpius, no. The mountain is coming down. You'll be smashed to smithereens. Go back," Draco urged.

"Teya, baby, _you_ are my sun, moon and stars. You! Do what my father asks of you. I will be here for you."

"You will stay in the realm of the Fae, and rule with me? I cannot do it alone."

"Yes, we will be together forever. I love you," Luke shouted.

"Don't listen to him Ilythea. He is a warlock, he's not to be trusted. You know I am the only one who loves you. I raised you from a child. I am your mother," Glinel said as she continued to lay hands on the crystal. Draco's dark mark burned and slithered on his arm and he could feel the dark power of Voldemort once again as Glinel cast his will onto the crystal.

"I love you too, Golden One. I will do what is asked," Teya said and then it was Glinel who was thrown back. She teetered before Draco nearly losing her balance.

It all happened so quickly after that. The mountain began to crumble and huge chunks of the wall gave way. Scorpius was flying fast, dodging the falling boulders, trying to get to Draco. Ilythea laid her hands on the crystal and began to chant in the ancient language, as hoards of Fae entered through the tunnels below. "Neither of us can wield the crystal, witch," Draco said and then he reached forward with one hand, his other slipping from the rock bridge and he wrapped his pale fingers around Glinel's ankle. "And neither of us will have any of the ancient knowledge, for we are not meant to have it," he said and then he let go. He fell, pulling Glinel with him as he plummeted downwards, finally splashing down in the lake below.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Luke could only watch as his brother darted downwards after a falling Draco and a woman with flowing blonde hair who shrieked as she fell. He cursed when he saw Draco hit the water, but then Scorpius was there almost immediately, plucking him out and putting him on the back of his broom. "Is he alright?" Scorpius said frantically as he landed in the boat with Draco. "I was a second too late. If it wasn't for all the boulders—"

"You did good Scorps," Luke said, checking his father for a pulse. "_Rennervate!_" Luke chanted and like Scorpius after the waterfall incident, red light flashed from his wand and all at once, Draco popped his eyes open.

"Thank Merlin," Lucius said hugging his son to his chest. "I thought I lost you," he said, clearly shaken.

"Where am I?" Draco said and they all looked at each other.

"Luke can make the potion, like he did for me and Dad will be alright."

"Yeah, it's alright. I can make the potion," Luke said and he reached into his knapsack.

"Not right now you can't," Lucius said when he saw the multitudes of Fae, all wielding pick axs and clubs and coming for them as they fluttered in the air with tiny wings that moved so fast they were barely visible to the naked eye. Their wings didn't seem to take them very far though, but they used the walls and the fallen boulders that now impeded their boat's path to bounce off of, taking flight once again. "Row! We must get to the portal. Quickly," Lucius said and all three paddled for their lives.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

Rowing against the current was a daunting task, and Scorpius's arms were killing him as he dug deep and pulled on the oar, using every muscle and every ounce of energy that he had. He was damned and determined to reach the portal, so he picked up the slack where his elderly Grandfather and his brother paddled and they were beginning to lose the tiny Fae as they made some ground.

"There, it's the portal. We made it," Luke said turning back to Scorpius and smiling victoriously.

"Luke, what's happening to it? Look," Scorpius said when the images in the wall began to move at rapid pace. One moment they were looking at King's cross and the next they were looking at Muggle London.

"It's the crystal. The waters are changing color too. You have to hurry. Scorpius, you will put Dad on your broom and go. Then you Grandfather. I will pull the boat to the shore and you should be able to leap through when the hole opens up."

"What about you?" Scorpius asked.

"I'm not going. I promised Teya. I'm staying."

"Then I am staying too," Lucius said.

"Luke, I'm not leaving you here. Those little fucking elves or whatever the fuck they are will be here at any moment. You have to come with us," Scorpius pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but I'm staying. Get Dad out of here. Grandfather you must go."

"Bro…I can't leave you," Scorpius said in a husky voice, as tears cascaded down his face. Luke stood and hugged his brother.

"I love you too," Luke said. "But you are the only one who can get Dad out of here. The portal is closing. Fly like the wind, Scorps. Go. Now!" Scorpius gulped but nodded and then they all heaved a tired and weak Draco onto the broom. "When the hole opens up, go through it. I will send my patronus through with you. Uncle Nat will see it and he will find you. Now get Dad the fuck out of Fae," Luke said and he reached for his wand. "I can take Grandfather too," Scorpius called back as he hovered in the air before the portal, waiting for his chance to go through.

"I'm staying with Luke."

"You crazy old coot," Luke said with a smirk and Lucius flashed him a wicked grin.

"The portal is opening. Now Scorpius," Lucius shouted.

"_Expecto Patronum_," Luke shouted and the silvery image of a bottled-nosed dolphin shot from his wand as the portal collapsed and Luke and Lucius were left staring at one another.

"Did they make it?" Luke asked.

"Yes."

"Did my patronus make it too?"

"I don't know. I hope so," Lucius said morosely.

They got their answer though when hoards of Fae bounced like leap frogs off the walls when they approached the boat, and Luke's patronus lit up the caverns with a blinding white light, knocking them all backwards.

"It will be fine. Scorpius and Draco will be just fine," Lucius assured, though Luke could see the worry lines that marred his face.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

Scorpius flew through the hole, in a split second and then a cold, wet snow was in his face, the snowflakes blurring his vision. He squinted through the blizzard, trying in earnest to see, with the body of his semi-conscientious father slumped over him on the broom. That's when he saw it, but there was little time to react. The double-decker bus didn't see him and with the combined weight of himself and Draco on the broom, he knew that he couldn't make it in time, so he did the only thing that he could do. He shoved Draco off the broom and watched as his father's body slid along the icy pavement where it stopped against a brick building that had a neon blinking sign. He looked back forward and he yanked hard on his broom, but it was too late and the bus rammed headfirst into Scorpius. He saw stars, and then he was back in the darkness as his world faded to black.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"Mum, I think there was an accident outside. There are sirens and strange flashing lights," Jillian said staring out the window of the tavern at the streets of Muggle London.

"It's the storm. It's so slippery it's hard for their cars to stay on the road. Come on, help me serve dinner. When they clear the traffic accident you should go outside and see if any other homeless souls are out there. It's so cold, and it is Christmas Eve," Hermione said laying an arm across Jillian's shoulder as they turned back towards the kitchen.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"Hey Jack," an old man with missing front teeth and a haggard appearance said when Draco opened his eyes. He was shivering, wearing only a dark colored, hooded robe but was wearing no shoes. He didn't know where he was. "Jack, ye' want a drink? 'ell warm 'ye up in dis weather," the bum said as he scooted closer to Draco for warmth and then passed him a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey. "Go on Jack," the man said and Draco looked at him oddly.

"Is that my name? Jack? Do you know me?"

"Y' sure, Jack. Want some of my newspapers for your feet, Jack?" the man asked and Draco nodded as he swigged off the bottle of whiskey.

"Two more Mum," he heard a girl say and he felt ashamed all at once, though he didn't know why. He couldn't look at her, yet her voice was familiar.

"Come inside and get warm. We have a bed and a hot meal for you. Come on," a kind woman said and Draco felt her warming touch on his arm as she helped him to his feet. "You too," she said to the old bum who called him Jack.

Review!?

Well there was a lot going on in that chapter. Phew! Glad I got that one out of me. I probably could have spent three chapters, telling that part of the story, but this is fanfic and there is still so much more to go in this story so I condensed it into one chapter. Hope you don't mind. So you want some D&H do you? Have to wait till the next chapter as this one was already the longest chapter of all of them lol Let me know, and as always thank you for the reviews! Sorry to leave you on a cliffy so far as Scorpius is concerned. Let me know if anyone actually received a chapter 16 update alert, because I didn't. It is so frustrating to work so hard to get a chapter out quickly for readers, only to have FFnet not send out chapter update alerts. Ugh!


	17. The Tavern

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Seventeen

He was so cold, that Hermione took him straight upstairs. The tavern was packed with homeless Muggles, just the way that she wanted it, so she was forced to put the strange man with the cloak into the last available room that was left at the Inn. The door creaked as she pushed it open and when she stepped inside she was smacked with the images of her and Draco, sharing their first Christmas together in the tiny room with the paisley curtains and the old but comfortable, double bed. Draco had stolen Christmas that year, just like the Grinch. _Her Grinch. _Hermione smiled. "There's a loo just through there," she said to the shoeless man and then something occurred to her. She threw open the wardrobe and nearly cried when she saw a crisp, white button up hanging on a padded hanger, a pressed pair of black trousers and a barely worn pair of Italian loafers. _Draco's clothes_. She reached for the shirt and plucked it from the hanger and then she brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply. She could smell the faintest traces of men's cologne. _His cologne_. She held the shirt up to the man's back and it looked as if it would fit. "I'm going to lay some clothes out for you. You look to be about the same size as my former husband. I'll leave them on the bed. When you're finished, come down and have supper. I have turkey and beans, bread and potatoes, and all the trimmings." The man nodded, his back turned to her and Hermione quietly left the room as she closed the door behind her. She stood at the door, feeling rather strange, though she didn't know why. The robed man just stuck out like a sore thumb in Muggle London. She shook it off though as she trod back down the stairs and helped Jillian serve their guests.

"Happy Christmas," she heard Harry say as the door to the tavern swung open. "We thought we'd come down and help you out," he said with Persephone, Albus and even Ron following in behind him. Ron gave her a hug and then he nervously dropped to one knee as a flash from outside blinded Hermione.

"I was going to wait until tomorrow to do this, but I was too excited to wait. Hermione, will you marry me," he said on bended knee. He reached into his parka and produced a small box that he turned towards her and then opened. Hermione's eyes welled with tears. None of it felt right. The ring was tasteful, with a ruby in the center of it and small diamonds on either side of it. She was certain that it cost Ron _all_ of his savings so it wasn't that she didn't like the ring. It was just—the tavern was her and Draco's place.

"I—don't know what to say," she said nervously.

"Just say yes," Ron said and he stood to face her as he reached for her hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger, the finger that refused to hold Draco's ring. Tears trickled down her cheeks when Ron's ring fit snugly on her finger.

"Well I'll answer for you Mum, if you can't. No. That's a big fat no, no, no. She will not marry you or anyone else," Jillian said snidely and she folded her arms and scowled at Hermione.

"I thought you told her," Ron said under his breath.

"I was planning to," she said.

"Seriously? Dad's only been gone a few short months and you're going to forget all about him and marry _him_? If Dad is dead then he is for sure rolling over in his grave right now."

"Uh, I think we should go," Harry said and Persephone nodded in agreement. "You are both welcome to stay at my place if you'd like. We will be going to the Burrow tomorrow, but perhaps Jillian would fancy playing exploding snap with Albus…and you and Ron could take care of things here," Harry said, throwing her a lifeline when he saw the anger on Jillian's face.

"Yeah, that would be nice Harry. I'm almost done here. I'll be along shortly," she said feeling overwhelmed. "Jillian, go with Uncle Harry and I will talk to you later."

"Don't bother," Jilly said as she looped her arm in Albus's and trod out the door into the snow.

"Don't worry, it'll be alright," Harry said hugging Hermione. "Congrats you two," he said awkwardly as he clapped Ron on the back and then took Persephone by hand and exited the tavern.

"I'm sorry 'Mione. I guess my timing was really bad," Ron said with a frown.

"Yeah, but she had to find out sooner or later. She wasn't going to take it well however gently I tried to break it to her, so what's done is done. Thank you for the ring. It's beautiful," Hermione said staring down at her hand. Somehow it just wasn't registering in her mind though, the notion of her and Ron as husband and wife. Seeing the ring put a whole new spin on their arrangement, a spin that she wasn't entirely comfortable with.

"Need some help with the dishes?" Ron asked thoughtfully when he noticed the dirty plates on the tables. Most of the homeless Muggles had finished their meals and either retired to bed upstairs, or had opted to head back out into the cold. One man said that he wanted to secure his sleeping spot outside before another homeless person stole it. They were all gracious for the meal though, and they thanked Hermione profusely before leaving.

"Ron, please don't take this the wrong way, alright?" Ron nodded. "I just—it's mine and Draco's anniversary today."

"Shit, I'm sorry. I really did blow it. You want to be alone, don't you?"

"I'll drop by the Burrow tomorrow and then I need to pay a visit to Lucius and Narcissa, Luke and Scorpius. I may just get through this Christmas after all, thanks to people like you and Harry."

"Alright 'Mione, I will see you tomorrow. You're wearing the ring, so that's a good sign, right?"

"A very good sign," she said with a half-smile, but inside she was quaking in her snow boots. It all felt wrong.

~~~~~0~~~~

Everything felt familiar to him, especially the witch that had brought him in from the cold. _Why did you just say witch?_ Draco thought to himself. All of it was perplexing to him. Hell, even the little girl with the platinum, blonde hair felt familiar to him. He stripped off his cloak and let it fall as he gazed at himself in the mirror. That's when he saw the framed picture from the corner of his eye, the one that was hanging on the wall in the bedroom. He made his way over to it and he stared at it. It was the witch, the one who'd ushered him into the very room where he stood naked, staring at her in the moving picture. He gulped when he saw the man standing to her right, with his hand clasped in hers and gazing at her with adoring eyes. He tore the picture from the wall and then swaggered into the bathroom and gazed once again into the mirror, comparing himself to the man in the photograph. His hair was longer and he had a beard, but otherwise he could have been a dead ringer for the man in the picture. He had to be sure though, so he reached into the medicine cabinet and reached for the can of shaving cream and a razor, and then began to shave his face. "That is me," he said in a mild state of shock when he compared his cleanly shaven face that was staring at him in the mirror, to the wizard in the moving photo. _Why did I just say wizard?_ He asked himself. He stepped into the shower, puzzled, as he tried to ascertain what it all meant. Was that woman his wife? _Questions…too many_. The clothes she laid out for him fit him like a glove, as if they'd been tailored to his body as he slipped on his socks and shoes and then stared at himself one last time in the mirror. "This is bloody odd," he said before he threw open the door and made his way down the creaky stairs. He stopped short though when he saw her in the dimly lit tavern, where only the orange glow of the firelight illuminated the room.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"You have to move on," she whispered to herself as the last of the guests departed, leaving her alone in the tavern. "You will accept Ron's formal proposal tomorrow, that's all there is to it." She waltzed over to the old, muggle jukebox, the one that Draco had insisted they keep rather than get rid of and she scrolled through the pages of songs until she found the one that she wanted.

_I'll never be your beast of burden…_

The song played and she closed her eyes, imagining Draco's hands on her as they danced on their wedding night together by the light of the fire, so many years earlier. Her hips began to sway to the music.

_My back is broad but it's a hurting…_

Hermione's hands ran lasciviously down her neck as she imagined his lips upon her neck.

_All I want is for you to make love to me…_

She swayed to the music as her hands roamed down her body…

_Am I hard enough_

_Am I rough enough_

_Am I rich enough_

_I'm not too blind to see…_

That's when she felt his arms around her, and his hot breath on her neck. His hands raked over her chest and his lips were flush against her skin, kissing and nipping. They moved to the music together, his hardness pressing into the small of her back and then his strong hands were on her face, turning her head to kiss his burning lips. His mouth found hers and his tongue slipped into her mouth like soft velvet as he made love to her mouth with an ever deepening kiss. He smoothed his hands down her body and then he parted her legs and rubbed purposeful fingers over her inner thigh. She felt a gush of wetness when he began to rub her _there_. Their bodies melted together as the song played on and they danced in one another's arms.

"I know this can't be real, but I never want this to stop," she moaned as he ravished her neck. When the song ended, she opened her eyes. His arms were snug around her and she dropped her gaze to his pale hands. Her eyes went wide when she saw his wedding ring. On his other hand was the black onyx ring that bore the Malfoy crest. Her heart sped up as she turned around to face him.

"You're real?"

"I call you Sweetpea, and you are _mine_," he said.

"Draco? How can this be?"

~~~~~~0~~~~~

"I don't know how this is. I saw your ghost, but Merlin I don't care," Hermione said with frantic urgency as she kicked the door to their room shut with her foot and then laid waste to the buttons on his shirt ad she frantically removed his shirt.

"I don't know who I am or why I am here, or how I got here," he said as he pulled her shirt over her head and then with expert fingers unhooked her bra, her breasts falling into view. "But I do know that you are mine and that I bloody want you right now," he said and then his mouth clamped down over one of her nipples as he nipped and sucked at her pebbled flesh. Her hands shot to the belt buckle on his trousers and she unzipped his pants and yanked them down, her hands gripping his hot arse and then reaching forward to stroke his hardened length.

"Gods, make love to me," she said and then his hands were on her hips pulling her pants down. In a New York minute they were naked as their bodies grinded together in a symphony of sweet harmony. A guttural cry escaped her lips as he pushed inside her warm wetness.

"Fuck, you feel good," he moaned in her ear and tears burst from her eyes at feeling Draco inside her again.

"Yes," she hissed, pulling him closer, wanting to devour him whole, he felt that good. She wrapped her legs around his body and then he was pumping her hard, her head banging against the headboard and the bedsprings squeaking loudly. "Gods Draco fuck me. Don't stop fucking me ever! I need you so much," she cried out as he rammed her full of cock. They were groaning in unison when her first orgasm hit her and he threw her hands over her head and pinned her as he rolled his hips into her, again and again, thrusting hard and deep inside her.

"Like that Sweetpea?" he asked through husky pants and Hermione cried out for more as he flipped her over onto all fours and buried his cock inside her once more. With her head pressed against the mattress, and his strong hands gripping her arse, she clawed at the bed sheets when her second orgasm ripped through her like a tidal wave crashing over a rocky beach.

"Oh God, Draco, yes, yes," she shouted and then she felt a gush wetness in her nether region and Draco was moaning loud enough to wake the dead as he shot his love into her. He collapsed on the bed beside her and pulled her into an embrace as his breathing slowed.

"I don't remember…but what I do remember is that I love you."

"That's the important stuff. We will figure the rest out together," she said, feeling overjoyed and elated to have her Draco back. "I love you Dragon. Forever." He laced his fingers in hers but then stopped and gazed at the ring on her finger.

"Did I buy you that hideous ring? If I did, then I don't have very good taste," Draco said and Hermione ripped the ring off her finger and dropped it on the bedside table, without even a second thought.

"No, you bought the one around my neck. See," she said and she showed him the necklace that her wedding band was looped on.

"Why aren't you wearing it on your hand?" he asked and Hermione gulped.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

"This came for Scorpius," Draco's secretary, Prunella said and she handed Blaise the petition as he sat behind Draco's desk at the Ministry. He recognized the parchment immediately without even having to look at it. It was from the Fae realm. "Thanks Prunella. Can you try owling him again. The Thai Minister wants a meeting with the acting Minister, and I can't put her off any longer."

"The owls keep coming back, Sir. I'll try again to reach Scorpius," she said with a sigh as she left Blaise alone in the office. He opened the scroll and read it. It was not what he was expecting at all. His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"This changes everything!" he shouted and he leapt from his seat. "I can't owl with something like this. No, I will have to pay a visit to Hermione," Blaise said and he stashed the parchment in his breast pocket, his hands shaking at what was contained in it. He needed answers. "Prunella, owl Luna and tell her that I'm sorry, but I'm going to be late and not to wait up." He then apparrated out with a _pop_.

~~~~~0~~~~

"I know we should get dressed and go find the kids, but, oh, yes, that's the spot," Hermione panted as she arched her back and moved her hips in rhythm with his thrusts. "I could do this for an entire month, Draco," she said and she leaned up, straddling him as she looped her arms tight around his neck and then began to bounce over her sexy husband, his cock impaling her.

"Fuck, you look sexy riding me," he grunted and then his tongue was in her mouth again and all of the air was sucked out of her as she came, again. There was a knock at the door at that, but they ignored it, unable to stop until they reached their conclusion. Another knock and Hermione found herself annoyed by whoever it was that was spoiling their lovemaking.

"I'm sorry, but this urgent. I was told you were here Hermione. There is something you should know. Draco is alive—" Blaise said finally busting through the door and then stopping in his tracks, his mouth falling open.

"I know," Hermione said through pants.

"I see. I'll just wait downstairs. Draco, you have no idea how good it is to see you," Blaise said excited.

"Get out," Draco moaned and then he flipped Hermione onto her back and drilled her with his cock.

~~~~~0~~~~

She couldn't will herself to let go of him as they trod down the stairs, arm in arm. Blaise was sitting at one of the tables, reading a parchment, his hands shaking.

"Blaise, Draco doesn't know who he is."

"I know. It does seem that he remembered at least certain things though," Blaise said with a smirk and Hermione blushed.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. It's just—We really missed each other."

"I'll say," Blaise winked.

"Do I know him?" Draco asked, twirling his finger in one of the loose curls on Hermione's head. He leaned in and kissed her earlobe and Hermione felt chills shoot down her arms at feeling his warm breath on her again.

"Yes, he's been your best friend for years, Draco."

"I got this today. It's from the realm of the Fae. I need to explain something first though, and you might be angry with me for not telling you sooner," Blaise said and Hermione nodded, as she pulled Draco's arm around her tighter.

"Go on."

"I made it as soon as I got your owl," Nathaniel said as he bowled through the door of the tavern. "Draco?" he said and he literally launched himself at the blond, hugging him tight in his arms. Draco looked shell-shocked by it all, so Hermione squeezed his hand and assured him that everything was alright, that people just hadn't seen him for a very long time.

"Good, I'm glad you're here."

"I never got their Patronus. Where is Dad, Luke and Scorpius?" Nathaniel asked, his voice full of worry.

"What do they have to do with this?" Hermione asked, becoming worried herself.

"I got this," Blaise said and he slid the parchment across the table to Hermione. "It's signed by Luke." Hermione read the script on the parchment aloud.

"In case Scorpius couldn't remember the ingredients of the potion to bring back Dad's memory, I've included the instructions below. Grandfather, I and Teya are embroiled in affairs of the Fae realm. We are making substantial progress. Happy Christmas. Grandfather sends his love, as do I." Below that were abbreviations for potion ingredients, none of which Hermione could read. For one, Luke's handwriting was quite slanty, but for two, he'd written the instructions in a format that only a skilled alchemist could understand. There were S's which could have meant stir, but it also could have meant shake, and symbols that were mostly foreign to Hermione.

"I can't read how to brew this potion," Hermione finally said giving up. "And where is Scorpius? Luke talks as if he is here. How did this all happen?" Blaise and Nathaniel both looked uncomfortable at that.

"Hermione, Blaise had reason to believe that Draco might be alive. Scorpius came to us with the news and we organized a search party."

"You took my sons, our sons," Hermione said looking at Draco, "Into the Fae realm?"

"Yes, and clearly it was the right call, because Draco is here. The question though is where is Scorpius? Luke assumes that he got back safely. I see that Draco is in fine hands, but Scorpius?"

"Gods, what are you saying? Is Scorpius hurt?"

"We don't know. They were supposed to send a patronus to me so I knew that they'd succeeded. The plan was to use the portal at King's Cross, but I've been camped there for days and there was no sign of either of them."

"Draco, do you know where our son is?" Hermione asked, her eyes tearing up.

"I don't bloody remember," Draco said angrily as he slammed his fist down on the table. "I was on a broom one moment and then I was outside in the cold and you and the little girl found me and brought me inside."

"Yes, that was your daughter Jillian, Dragon. We found you against the wall, outside in the snow. Oh Merlin!" Hermione said and she covered her mouth with her hand. "There was a traffic accident. We waited for the Muggle authorities to clear it. We were busy in the kitchen. Then once it was cleared we went outside and that's when Jillian found Draco, only she didn't know it was him at the time."

"We need to check the hospitals. Scorpius might be there," Nathaniel said.

"Oh my Gods, at a Muggle hospital? If he's hurt, he needs a witch or wizard Healer. I have to go find my son," Hermione said with a sense of dread.

"Tell you what. You stay here with Draco and work on that potion. I will get the Aurors on this pronto and Nat and I can split up and check the Muggle hospitals."

"We'll find him," Nathaniel said, laying a comforting hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Your place is here with Draco. The family should be told. I'm sure Narcissa is out of her mind with worry."

"Yes, yes I will owl everyone and invite them here," Hermione said and she darted upstairs and returned with a quill and a stack of parchment as she started to frantically write owls to Harry and Persephone, Narcissa and even Lily Potter.

"This potion is simple. I can brew it up right quick," Draco said and all eyes turned to him.

"You can read that?" Blaise asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, of course. Can't you?"

"No, but then I was never good at Potions. You are though. See Hermione, things are looking up already. We will find Scorpius, you'll see."

~~~~~~0~~~~~

Harry, Persephone, Albus and Jillian arrived in the middle of the night, all wearing shocked and stunned expressions.

"Daddy?" Jillian said, with a river of tears streaming down her face as she slowly approached Draco. He was stirring a potion, the potion Luke had scrawled down on the parchment.

"Come on, Jilly, it's alright. It's really him," Hermione said and she sauntered over to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you Mum. I didn't mean it," Jilly said as she slowly approached Draco. Draco poured the potion he was brewing into a small glass and then he tipped it back and swallowed it. Everyone watched and waited with bated breath. It was so quiet in the tavern you could hear a pin drop.

"You're Harry Potter, and your wife left you for a carny. You're Persephone, my daughter-in-law. That's my sexy wife standing next to you, and you, little one," Draco said and he opened his arms to Jillian, "Are my little Jillybean. You are a sight for sore eyes," he said and Jilly ran to him, throwing her arms around him and hugging onto him for dear life.

"I—the troll and then you were in the river. It's all my fault," she cried into his shirt.

"Shhh, it wasn't your fault Jillybean. I'm alright and I'm never leaving you again," Draco soothed and then he opened his arms for Hermione to join him as they all embraced in a family hug.

"My son," Narcissa said as the bells on the door jangled and she raced inside. Hermione opened her arms and then Narcissa was peppering Draco's face with kisses.

An hour later, after Draco told them all about what he'd experienced in Fae, the Daily Prophet arrived by owl and Hermione gaped at what she saw on the front page. She tried to hide it from Draco, but he snatched it from her hands and then his jaw tightened and his eyes turned icy when he read the headline and stared at the accompanying picture. Hermione gulped.

"I can explain," she said.

"Can you? Can you explain why Ron fucking Weaselbee is on bended knee proposing to you and why there is a picture below of an Official Ministry Engagement application? Did you fucking divorce me?" Draco asked, his voice cold and full of rage.

"No, I'd never divorce you. I love you Dragon. You know that," Hermione said and tears trailed down her cheeks.

"The ring you were wearing. It was his," Draco said and then he reached forward and ripped the necklace from her neck. "This should be on your finger. If you didn't divorce me then prove it and put it on right now," he demanded and he reached for her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. It fell to the floor though and Draco bent down, crouching on the floor, his head hung low as he picked it up. Hermione could hear his quiet sobs and her hear broke upon hearing them.

"Draco you were dead. I—Please, you know I love you with all my heart. You have to know that," she said and she placed loving arms around his back. He threw her arms off of him though as he stood and left the room.

"Don't touch me," he said, unwilling to look at her as he scaled the staircase and then slammed the door to their cozy little room.

"Look what you did," Jillian said coldly as she followed after Draco.

"Narcissa," Hermione turned to her mother-in-law. "I couldn't go out in public without being mobbed. I had hoards of letters from wizards proposing to me. It was just going to be a marriage of convenience. You understand right?" she pleaded, but Narcissa only narrowed her eyes on her and then she too followed after Jillian, making her way up the stairs.

"They will come around," Harry said and Hermione collapsed in his arms as she sobbed, knowing that she'd broken Draco's heart. "It will be alright. He loves you, you know that."

"No, I betrayed him. You saw how hurt he was," Hermione grimaced. "He won't forgive this. You don't know Draco like I do Harry," Hermione cried.

"Yes he will. I forgave Ginny a hundred times and Draco will forgive you." Neither of them saw a wounded Persephone slip out the door upon hearing Harry's words.

Review!?

A/N So great to see Sherri and others here! Thank you to all who are reading and reviewing this story. I love reviews, not going to lie. lol So this chapter was bittersweet, but there is still more story left to tell, and it can't all be peaches and cream _all_ of the time. Let me know!


	18. The Orb of Knowledge

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Eighteen

Persephone was reeling upon hearing Harry's words. _Would he forgive Ginny again? Did he still love her?_ _Draco, Draco was alive and Scorpius, her ex was missing and possibly dead or injured._ It was a lot to absorb, so it was no wonder that she lost her dinner, just outside the tavern as she spewed her guts all over the pavement.

"You alright Miss?" an on duty Muggle police officer asked her. "There's a hospital just around the corner. I can take you there if you need assistance," the nice officer said and Persephone waved him off, declaring that she was fine. That's when it occurred to her. _Scorpius might have been taken there._

"Sir, on second thought, can you point me towards this hospital?"

~~~~~0~~~~~

Draco blew through the doors of the Ministry, angrier than hell and worried for his son. Heads turned upon seeing the _thought to be dead,_ Minister of Magic charging through the Ministry, with his former wife trailing behind him.

"Just talk to me. Will you just stop and talk to me!" she begged. He whirled around on her at that.

"You made your bed. I'm moving back to the Manor just as soon as I find my son, and then you and the Weasel can live happily ever after," he said through gritted teeth.

"Gods, you stubborn man. Why won't you just listen to me?" Hermione said becoming enraged. She was nearly running, trying to keep up with him as he bust through the doors of the Department of Aurors.

"Draco, I called all the Aurors in. Some are on holiday though and not in the country, but I have four. We were just about to head out to look for your son."

"Well get a bloody move on it, Potter," Draco said with venom. Harry nodded and then cast Hermione a sympathetic glance. Draco then set off down the halls of the Ministry and again Hermione followed him, still trying to plead her case.

"I'm not buying the shit you're peddling to me counselor. It might work on the Wizengamot, but not with me, Granger," he said as he made for the Minister's Office.

"Granger? Are we back to that now? Why not just called me Mudblood." The irony of that hit Draco in the face and he was reminded of her parents, Chayelle and Hayden who were not muggle-borns. He pushed it from his mind though.

"Well let's see," the blond said with a sneer, "You divorced me, so hmm, you're not a Malfoy anymore."

"It's not my fault. That stupid clerk fed our marriage decree to Sharky! It happened so fast. I'm sorry. You were dead Draco!"

"I wasn't fucking dead! Stop saying that."

"I saw your ghost!"

"False, probably the work of Glinel."

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked trying to keep up with Draco as he entered the Office of Marriage. He stepped up to the counter at that.

"Is this the clerk that shredded our marriage decree and processed your application to marry the fucking Weasel?" He asked staring daggers at Hermione.

"Yes, that's her," Hermione said when she saw the same witch standing at the counter.

"We're actually not open. We're closed for Christmas, I just came in to retrieve something I'd left here accidently," the witch said. "Come back after the holiday."

"And what did you forget and leave here? Draco asked. "Was it perhaps your brain?" he shouted.

"Excuse me?" the witch replied angrily.

"You're excused. In fact, you're sacked. Collect your things and never set foot inside the Ministry again."

"And by what authority are you sacking me? You can't do that!"

"He's the Minister of Magic you foul, old, marriage shredding—You—You," Hermione couldn't quite will herself to curse the woman out.

"Step aside," Draco ordered and the woman dropped to the ground, hiding behind the counter when she saw Draco raise his wand. "_Incendio_!" Draco shouted and Sharky burst into flames. Both Draco and Hermione stood there and watched it melt, with satisfied expressions on their faces. "Now I have two positions to fill," the blond Minister said and he shoved his wand into his pocket. He then was marching through the Ministry again and Hermione was once again trailing behind him.

"Mr. Malfoy, is it really you?" Prunella said and she jumped from her chair and hugged him awkwardly.

"It's Christmas, Prunella, go be with your husband."

"Oh, he died last year."

"Merlin, I am a terrible boss. How could I not know that?"

"You were a wonderful boss. You gave me a month off with pay and you sent hoards of flowers, a dozen gardenias, one bundle each day for thirty days. It was so thoughtful and it made mourning him much easier," Prunella said and Draco looked perplexed. That was, until he saw Hermione smirking at him.

"Of course Draco sent you flowers and gave you time off. He's a thoughtful and caring man and an excellent Minister of Magic," Hermione said and Draco gulped when he realized that it was his wife who had sent the flowers in his name.

"I'll be in my office. I don't want to be disturbed." With that, he slammed the door in Hermione's face, warding the door just in case she tried to enter. He knocked on the back wall of his office, no less than three times. The dark wood panel disappeared to reveal a small room. Draco stepped into the hidden room and the wall rematerialized behind him. There were a few perks to being Minister, and having access to the ancient Orb of Knowledge was one of them. It was a crystal ball, but not just any crystal ball. No, this crystal ball had belonged to Nostradamus. It had been passed down from Minister to Minister since the days of the mystical prophet, and only the Minister of Magic could use it. The question of whether or not it would work for him though weighed on his mind. If Hermione thought him dead, his own wife, the one person who knew him better than all, then it was realistic to think that the entire wizarding would also believed him dead. "Come on Blaise," he said aloud. "Let's see if you had my back." He knew that the orb wouldn't work if he wasn't the true Minister anymore. He also counted on Blaise to wrangle the laws on his behalf, like a good assistant and true friend would do. Draco rubbed his hands together and then laid them on the Orb of Knowledge.

"Show me my son Scorpius." The orb glowed blue and a fog enveloped the crystal ball. _Good on ya Blaise_, he smiled. He was still the Minister of Magic. The fog slowly began to clear at that and then Draco was looking at a hospital bed. "Pan back," he said and the ball did as he commanded. There were Muggles in strange green clothes with masks over their faces. Odd equipment was in every corner of the room, and Scorpius had a tube shoved down his throat that seemed to be breathing for him. Draco shuddered at the sight.

"_He's going to lose the arm, I don't think I can save it,"_ one of the Muggle doctor's said. _"It's Doctor Paul's call though. Prep him for surgery,"_ the strange Muggle ordered and a woman, also wearing a mask and strange green clothes nodded. _Shit_, Draco said to himself. _He can't lose his arm_. "How barbaric and unnecessary," he cursed. "Pan back and show me where he is," Draco commanded and then he was looking at a brick building with a cross over the top of the building. There was a sign that said St. Thomas Hospital.

"_Accio firebolt_," Draco chanted and then he ran to the window, threw it open and took off into the early morning December chill.

~~~~~0~~~~

"Miss, I know the wiz-er-the man in there. I'm a Healer, and I can help him. Please let me in to see him," Persephone begged.

"He's being prepped for surgery. Are you his wife?" the Muggle nurse asked.

"No, not anymore."

"Then I'm sorry, but you can't go in. There's a waiting room just outside though," she said with a sympathetic smile. Persephone threw her hands in the air, defeated. She just had to get in to see him. They had no idea what they were doing. Yes, he was a jerk, a jerk that had cheated on her, but he didn't deserve to be in the hands of incompetent muggles, whose medicine was that of the Dark Ages in comparison to the Healers of St. Mungo's.

"Persephone?" Draco said and she swung around, delighted to see him.

"He's in there. They are going to operate on him, but they won't let anyone in but his wife."

"Well, you're his wife. So go on, let's get him the hell out of here. He doesn't belong here."

"I divorced him. He cheated on me Mr. Mal—Draco."

"Shit," Draco said and he paced nervously as if deep in thought. Two more Muggles in green garments and masks over their mouths sauntered down the hall. Draco smirked. "Come on, I have an idea," he said and he raised his wand.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

Draco was resourceful, she had to give him credit where credit was due, as Persephone helped him drag the petrified bodies of the man and woman into one of the storage supply rooms. "Hurry, we don't have much time. They intend to cut off my son's arm. I don't have to tell you how bloody awful that would be to a Quidditch player," Draco said as he began to strip off his clothes.

"I'm dating Harry Potter now. I prefer older wizards and Harry, well he just does it for me," she admitted.

"That's real bloody nice Persephone, but right now we need to put these hideous green outfits on, so we can get past the security at the door. Strip!" Draco demanded and Persephone felt her knees go weak upon hearing those words out of the blond's mouth.

"Merlin! Look," she said as she tried in earnest not to gawk at his bare chest. He was gorgeous with lean, but defined muscles and the soft blond hair that fell in an arrow down his delectable abs were hard not to notice. "I've always found you attractive, but I'm in love with Harry. What I'm trying to say is, please do not take your pants off in front of me. I don't need those images of you swirling around in my brain again. You're a very good-looking man, and I used to fantasize about you shagging me, like the way you shagged Hermione. You cannot take your clothes off in front of me Mr. Mal—Draco."

"What?" Draco said and his mouth fell open. "Just, close your bloody eyes then," he said and Persephone did. "Alright, I'm done. Your turn," Draco said and he closed his eyes while his former daughter-in-law undressed. _How in the hell do I always manage to get into these awkward situations with her of all people,_ he said to himself as he stood there waiting for her to change into her disguise.

"Thank you for understanding. Alright, I'm dressed."

"Right then. Let's go get my son. Follow my lead," he said and she nodded.

~~~~~0~~~~

"Had we gotten to him sooner…I just don't know. It could go either way," the Head Healer admitted and she shook her head.

"He'll be able to use the arm though, right?" Draco asked as Hermione burst through the doors of the room. Draco looked at her, her face was a mess, she'd clearly been crying. He turned away though when their eyes met.

"Thank you for finding him, Draco. I was so worried," she said as he leaned down and kissed a sleeping Scorpius's forehead.

"Should thank Persephone, she found him first," Draco bit out.

"I will," Hermione said staring into his eyes. "So what did I miss? Is he going to be alright?"

"As I was telling the Minister, we can't be sure. I've administered the Skelegrow, but it should have been given to him sooner. If it doesn't take effect soon, then he may lose functionality in the arm, or even the arm itself. All we can do is wait now. We've given him a sleeping draught for now, but I'm inclined to give him a stronger pain killer. He is undoubtedly in a lot of pain right now."

"No, Scorpius wouldn't want that," Hermione said and Draco scoffed. Scorpius moaned in his sleep, clearly in pain and Draco found himself feeling helpless.

"Give him the pain killer," he demanded.

"No, Draco," Hermione argued. "Scorpius had addiction problems to pain killing potions, remember?"

"You want him to lay there and suffer? Yeah, I reckon you would," he said coldly. "You don't care who hurts, do you?"

"How dare you," Hermione said and she stood and faced him. "I love my son."

"I'm taking Jillian to Malfoy Manor with me. She doesn't want to live with you. She will spend the duration of the winter break with me and I will see her back to Hogwarts."

"Draco, don't do this. Don't break up our family."

"Me break up our family? Me?" Draco shot back. The Head Healer excused herself from the room at that. "We aren't even married anymore. You saw to that. You ended it. Not me!"

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

It had been nearly a month, and Scorpius was making a slow recovery. He hated hospitals, so they'd opted to keep him knocked out with Sleeping Draught. Draco and Hermione visited their eldest son, separately, this done on purpose, at least on Draco's end. He didn't want another run in with his wife. _Exwife,_ Draco reminded himself. That grated on his every last nerve. He flicked his wand and a glass display case in his office shattered into pieces.

"Slip of the wand?" Blaise asked with a smirk when he sauntered into his office and closed the door.

"This all bloody sucks," Draco bit out and he raked his hands through his hair and leaned back in his chair.

"I'm sorry mate. You may not want to read the _Daily Prophet_ today then," Blaise said carefully.

"Hand it over," Draco drawled. He sighed when he saw the spread about him. There was a picture of him looking every bit the dapper and now unattached Minister of Magic with the headline that read, _Most Eligible Bachelor the Minister of Magic._ He went on to read the article and shook his head when the reporter wrote that he was 'actively looking for a witch to replace his former wife, Hermione Grnger-Malfoy, who had moved on from the marriage.' Draco growled under his breath.

"I warned you," Blaise said. "You really shouldn't read the last bit," his friend said and the he reached forward and snatched Draco's wand.

"Rumour is she wants to start a family of her own with the widower, Ronald Weasley? What the fuck!" Draco shouted. "I'll kill him. Give me my wand."

"No," Blaise said flatly. "You're the Minister of Magic; you can't go about casting Unforgivable curses."

"Having a kid with that bloody, moronic, ginger headed weasel _is_ Unforgivable though!" Draco howled.

"Just because it's printed it doesn't make it true," Blaise reminded. "Oh, and you have about a thousand letters at your house. Your Mum sent word. She was quite cross by the sound of her howler. You're welcome for opening it for you."

"I have to go. I will not have my kids having some half brother or sister, fathered by the likes of a Weasel."

"Where are you going?"

"To have a little talk with my wife. Fuck! Exwife."

"I don't think you're in the proper frame of mind to talk to anyone, Draco. Just cool down first," Blaise urged, but Draco snatched his wand back and then he was gone in a whirlwind as he popped out.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"Persephone," Lily said softly and it startled Persephone. "I came to see Scorpius." Persephone looked down and couldn't help but notice the growing bump on her belly.

"Yeah, sure. Let me show you to his room. He's sleeping, but you can visit him." She noticed that Lily was carrying a guitar with her which seemed odd to her. "Lily, he can't play that," she said motioning to the instrument. "His arm was badly mangled when a bus ran him over."

"Oh, yeah I heard. I brought the guitar because I play it. I sometimes sing to the baby," she said and she rubbed her hand over her stomach.

"I didn't know you played, or could sing for that matter."

"Well, I didn't say I was great. I can sing and play a little though." She ushered Lily into the room and then turned and watched from the door as Lily pulled up a chair at her former husband's bedside and then slipped her hand into his hand. Persephone closed the door to give them their privacy. Then she promptly bolted for the loo across the hall where she heaved her guts out. She was sick, probably the flu. Hoards of witches and wizards had been into St. Mungo's seeking treatment for a particular bad cold and flu season. It was likely that she picked it up from one of her patients. She would have to see the Head Healer and have her prescribe something for her flu bug. She was definitely not kicking it on her own. She wiped her mouth and exited the loo and was shocked to find Harry standing outside Scorpius's room.

"Hey," he said happily when he saw her. "Where you been? I've owled several times and nothing," Harry asked.

"I—I heard a rumour that Ginny was back and staying at your place. I didn't want to get in the way."

"Oh, that. Heard that did you? Yeah, I'm letting her stay on through the winter. She needed a place to stay and well, I thought perhaps Albus might like to see his Mum. He doesn't, but—"

"Jolly good then. Well, I have work, so—"

"I want to take you out. I miss you," Harry said gripping her lightly by the elbow.

"Did you forgive Ginny?"

"What?" Harry asked surprised.

"Did you forgive her?"

"Yeah, I mean Ginny is Ginny. Makes no sense to hold onto anger and hostility. She's going to do what she's going to do."

"You love her," Persephone said morosely.

"Well yeah," Harry said. "She's the Mum of my kids. That's not to say— Persephone, where are you going?"

"I have to go. Please don't contact me anymore. You have Ginny. Go be with her—" Persephone said and she raced off down the corridor, closing herself in an empty room after she turned the corner and was out of his sight. Tears exploded from her eyes. He admitted it. _He loves her._

~~~~~0~~~~~

Hermione was flabbergasted when she read the _Daily Prophet_. Utterly and completely flabbergasted. Lies. She was not looking to have any more kids, not with Ron, not even with Draco. She had three kids that she adored but nowhere was a desire to have more kids. She wouldn't mind shagging the gorgeous _Eligible Bachelor_ on the front page though, she thought to herself when she looked at the handsome picture of Draco on the cover. _I'll kill any witch that gets within a meter of him,_ she thought to herself. _He's my Dragon, nobody elses. _

"'Mione, why didn't you tell me?" Ron said when he suddenly appeared in her living room.

"Ron, you really should owl first before popping over."

"Why? We're engaged. You know you can pop over to the Burrow anytime you want to."

"Ron, I thought you understood. I love Draco."

"I know you do."

"He's back now. He isn't dead."

"Yeah, but he doesn't want you, and I do. I had no idea that you wanted to have kids with me though," Ron said smiling. "I'd be up for that, if that's what you want," he said and he laid a gentle hand on her leg, her upper thigh to be exact. Hermione looked at his hand as if a spider had crawled up into her lap and he promptly removed it. "You don't want kids with me?"

"No, Ron."

"You don't want me either, do you?"

"No. I'm sorry."

Ron gulped.

"I understand. Well, let's go down to the Ministry and feed our Engagement Decree to Sharky. Then you and Draco can get married again. I just want you to be happy 'Mione."

"Can't do that. Draco torched Sharky in a fit of anger. It wouldn't matter anyways though, as we can't do anything for six months. Five now since it's been a month. I checked the law. Even if I could get Draco to take me back, which isn't looking good mind you. I would have to wait the five months before he and I could even get engaged. Then it would be another six months wait before we could actually marry," Hermione said with a frown. "All of that is moot though because Draco wants nothing to do with me. Neither does our daughter. Scorpius is healing in the hospital; Luke is gone in Fae doing Merlin knows what, which just leaves me, me and this gorgeous picture of Draco, oh," Hermione said sarcastically, "And little Draco. I forgot about the gift Ginny gave me. Perhaps I'll give it a go," she said and she chuckled to herself. Staring at the picture of Draco did get her female hormones going though. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea, she thought to herself.

"You lost me."

"I know I did. That's a good thing," Hermione said and she patted Ron on the leg. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go have a bath or something." Ron hugged her, she returned him his ring and then she set off upstairs. Alone. Serenity was not the happy home she once remembered. Sure, Persephone was living there still, but she often worked long hours and then when she was home she mostly kept to herself.

She rifled through her underwear drawer, casting aside all the practical, cotton panties in favor of something that made her feel sexy. If she was going to seriously masturbate to a picture of Draco then she was at least going to feel beautiful doing it. Draco always made her feel beautiful when he made love to her and she missed that. Without him, she once again felt like book smart, Hermione Plain Granger. She piled her hair atop her head and clipped it with a beret, leaving ringlets of curls that fell from her temples. Draco always liked her hair that way, she thought to herself. She shucked her clothes and pulled on a black, lace teddy that was one of the more naughty pieces of lingerie that Draco had bought for her. She had one in every color, see through ones, lace ones, even leather ones for the nights when he was feeling particularly kinky. There was also the innocent type of negligees, innocent mostly, though they all had kilometer long slits up the sides so when she walked her legs, all the way up to her groin were visible. No, it wasn't a negligee night she decided as she squeezed into the tight teddy and the padded over to the bed. She opened the drawer and pulled out the pink vibrator and flicked it on. It hummed and Hermione sighed. _It is what it is_, she said to herself as she lay back on the bed and parted her legs. With her free hand she reached for the _Daily Prophet_ and then with visions of Draco and their passionate lovemaking at the Tavern upon his return, she began to pleasure herself.

~~~~~0~~~~

Draco apparrated to Serenity where he stood in the foyer, overlooking the grand staircase. The house appeared to be empty, but then he heard her moans. They were coming from the upstairs bedroom. _His bedroom_. "I'll fucking kill them both if they are screwing in my bed," he bit out as he started up the stairs, with his wand in his hand. He was awash with white hot, burning anger and betrayal at hearing Hermione's moans. _She was fucking him. Fucking the Weasel in his bed! _Draco tore down the hall and then stopped by the door and listened, his hand shaking as he held his wand out, a nasty Unforgivable curse on the tip of his tongue.

"Oh Gods, yes, yes," Hermione called out in sultry tones and Draco pushed open the door. His jaw dropped at what he saw. Her legs fell to the side, and her eyes fluttered closed as she moaned. "Draco, yes Dragon, make love to me," she moaned and Draco immediately became hard. She was holding a vibrator and massaging it over her swollen cherry. It was not what Draco expected to find. He began to close the door, but then she was calling out his name again. A struggle ensued. He couldn't will himself to leave. He opened the door again and stepped through it, closing it behind him.

"Fuck that's a saucy sight," he said and he made for the bed. Hermione stopped and stared, her eyes going wide. "No, don't stop," he said in husky tones as he crawled between her legs and knelt in front of her. She smiled up at him and then continued to assault her clit with the vibrating cock. He unzipped his fly and took himself in hand as he began to stroke his manhood. He wanked watching her pleasure herself, their eyes locked on one another. When he couldn't take it anymore he reached for the vibrator and then pushed it inside her pussy. She arched her back and spread her legs wider for him.

"I'd rather have you inside me," she bit out, but Draco ignored her as he pumped her with the dildo instead, his hand moving up and down his own shaft. He couldn't hold it back, and he spurt his semen all over her chest and then watched as she smeared it over her perfect tits, her own climax reaching fevers pitch.

~~~~0~~~~

"Stay," she said as he sat hunched over on the bed with his feet on the floor and his head in his hands. "Hold me," she said and then she was kissing his neck from behind him as her arms wound themselves around his neck. It felt good, so good.

"We aren't married," he said.

"You're my husband Draco, and I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that. You're my first and my last. I love you."

"That piece of paper _is_ important to me. What are we? What do we do, teach our kids it's alright to shag out of wedlock? Our marriage meant everything to me. It was the one blasted thing in this world that I could count on," he said and he stood at that, zipped up his pants and then with a heavy sigh, he left.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"Blaise, I'm thinking about opening the realm."

"Draco, you can't."

"My son is there, and we haven't received word in a long while. Not to mention—"

"What? Is there something you forgot to tell me?" Blaise asked.

"It's Hermione. Her parents are there. I promised I'd get them out. I intend to fulfill that promise."

"The Grangers are there?"

"No. Her true parents. I didn't tell her. I can't see the point in telling her until I can get them out. There has to be a way to open the realm, safely."

"If there is, Draco, then I assure you that I don't know it."

"Neither do I," Draco said somberly, deep in thought.

Later that night before he retired to bed he took the time to write two letters. One to his daughter at Hogwarts, telling her that he loved her and goodnight. It was something he did every night. He secretly worried that he and Hermione's split had hurt Jilly more than she was letting on. She often seemed angry, and her owls to him felt _off_, as if she was hiding something from him. The second letter he wrote was to Hermione. It was short and sweet. He laughed when he read it. It seemed so absurd to ask Hermione out on a formal date. He gave the letters to his jet black owl and then watched as it flew off into the night. He looked at the stacks of letters that kept shooting through the floo, and he slowly began to understand what Hermione must have gone through when he went missing. He did however amuse himself by looking at some of the more provocative pictures that the single witches of the wizarding world sent to him, but then he heard her voice in the back of his head chastising him for it, and he tossed the letter into the fire. Damn it, I love my wife. _Exwife!_

Review!?


	19. The Wandless Warlock

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Nineteen

"Just give me the prescription and I'll pop down to the apothecary and have it filled," Persephone said to the Head Healer at St, Mungo's as she sat on the examining room table feeling very much green around the gills.

"No prescription needed," the aging witch said with a smile. "You don't have the flu."

"Gods, is it something worse?"

"Persephone, you're pregnant."

"What? Well that can't be. You told me that I can't bear children."

"I know I did, which is why I find the fact that you are most definitely with child terribly perplexing. Did you use some means of magic to get pregnant?"

"No, I mean, I could feel his magic when we were you know, making love," Persephone said blushing. "He said he could feel mine. Do you think that has something to do with it?"

"It could. Stranger things have happened. Well Congratulations Healer Malfoy," she said and she hugged her. Persephone was reeling. The irony of it all was not remotely funny. She had tried for years to have a baby with Scorpius only to find out that she couldn't have children. She shagged Harry Potter and she was suddenly knocked up. The irony was that Harry already had kids, and a wife, or exwife, but one who was still very much _in_ the picture. It seemed like a cruel twist of fate handed down to her by the gods, that she should become pregnant now, when she was alone.

She wandered down the halls of St. Mungo's in a mild state of shock that was until their voices filtered into her ears. She cracked open the door to Scorpius's room and she felt choked with tears when she saw her former husband, sitting up in bed and singing. Lily Potter was at the foot of the bed strumming on her guitar and singing right along with him, their voices melting into a sweet harmony. She pushed through the door and put on her Healer face.

"Good to see you awake and in good spirits," she said as she threw open the curtains and let the sunlight in. "I should change the dressing on your arm."

"Oh, do you need me to go?" Lily asked nervously.

"No, you're fine. You can stay."

"Lily, I'd like a word with Sapphire," Scorpius said and Lily excused herself.

"You didn't have to do that. I've already given Lily my blessing. I really do just need to change your dressing," she said, unable to look into his eyes as she pulled up a chair and began to unravel his bandaged arm.

"I know, but I thought we should talk. Persephone I am so sorry."

"I couldn't have kids. I never told you," she blurted out. "I should have told you but it was something I hadn't come to grips with yet myself."

"Merlin, this makes it even worse what with Lily being pregnant and gosh Sapphire, I was an arse to you about having kids."

"No, it's fine. She gave you what I never could. You'll make a wonderful father, Scorpius. I never doubted that. So you going back to music then? I heard the two of you together, you sounded really good."

"Oh, that," he said as if embarrassed, "Yeah, we just sort of wrote that together just sitting here."

"Well with Lily in the family way and you sidelined from Quidditch for at least a year whilst your arm heals, you might want to think about releasing that song. It really was that good. There, good as new," she said when she applied the new bandage. She handed him a potion to drink and he knocked it back. "I'll send Lily back in."

"Wait," he said and he reached out with his uninjured arm and gripped her by the wrist. "You can have everything. The house, the vacation home. All of it. I never meant for this to happen. Not like this. You have to believe me."

"Scorpius, I do believe you. I don't want the house though. It makes it easier for me to move on. You understand? That house was always yours anyways. It's far too big for me and the baby."

"Baby?" Scorpius said raising an eyebrow and Persephone covered her hand over her mouth.

"Yeah, I mean, I'm pregnant. I just found out. It was an impossibility, but apparently our magic had something to do with it. His and mine. I don't really understand it all and why a witch like me who was barren and unable to have kids—Scorpius I tried everything. I wanted kids with you. Badly. The Healer said it would never happen."

"Then it's a miracle," he said, his own eyes tearing up. She leaned in and hugged him. "Who is he? This new chap," he asked in a whisper as they embraced.

"I—it doesn't matter. It was a mistake. I was on the rebound and he was there."

"You aren't going to tell me?"

"No, and I'm sorry. Friends?" she said pulling out of the hug.

"Close friends. You're a part of my life Sapphire, and if you ever need anything…"

"I'll owl. Now, I best get out of here and leave you and Lily to your music. She's glowing, you know," she said with a smile.

"So are you," Scorpius said and Persephone was overcome with emotions as she whisked through the doors of the hospital room and then motioned for Lily to go back in. _Alone and pregnant_,she thought to herself.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"Do I look alright? Tie on straight? Shit, where are my cufflinks," Draco said as he dressed in front of a mirror in his cushy office at the Ministry.

"Damn Draco, you'd think that this was a first date," Blaise said as he shuffled through a stack of parchments on Draco's desk.

"Just want things to go smoothly is all. You arranged for the private dining room at the _Wandless Warlock_, right?"

"Yes, it's all taken care of. Best to go in through the back though. The Thai Minister is visiting and she has more than just business on her mind. I saw her gushing over the spread about you in the _Daily Prophet._ I think I heard her say something about a tasty dish," Blaise said with a smirk.

"Perhaps she was talking about her lunch."

"No, I rather think she was talking about you. The lewd tongue gesture she made, combined with the fact that she kissed your picture in full view of the entire Wizengamot makes me think that food was not on her mind. Anyways, she has reservations at the restaurant tonight. So heads up. Use the back entrance."

"Thanks," Draco said with a smirk. He spritzed himself with a dash of cologne and he pocketed his wand.

"Draco, you have to see this. It just arrived today," Blaise said and he held out a parchment in his hand.

"What's this?" Draco asked when he gazed at what looked like an invitation to a ceremony.

"Well, I don't know really, but look who signed it."

"Luke," Draco said and his eyes bulged. "Meet me at the cottage at the Black Caverns and bring the entire family. Formal dress required," Draco read aloud.

"It's dated six months from now," Blaise said in confusion.

"Yeah, but time moves slower in the Fae realm, so to Luke that may very well be tomorrow, in his frame of time. Respond back that we will be there. I got to go now, I don't want to be late," Draco said and he spun on his heels and with a _pop_ he was gone.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Hermione slipped on her red strappy shoes, the ones that matched the ruby coloured gown perfectly and she gazed at herself in the mirror. Draco was going to be putty in her hand. He loved her in red and the strapless gown and slit up the side of the dress accentuated her figure in a purely feminine way. She couldn't wait to feel his burning gaze upon her. Dinner and dancing sounded divine. She would bask in the feel of his loving arms around her and hopefully, if all went right, they would be sharing a bed where they would make passionate love to one another. There wasn't any place in the world she'd rather have been than at the _Wandless Warlock_ with the man she loved more than life itself. Nothing else mattered.

"Here goes nothing," she said with a beaming smile but it was everything to her. _He_ was everything to her.

"Oh thank Merlin I found you!" Molly Weasley said. Hermione's eyes went wide when she heard the pop and then looked behind her to see the elderly matriarch of the Weasley family standing in her bedroom at Serenity.

"Molly? How did you get in here—the wards."

"You released them for Ron, and it's a good thing that you did."

"Oh, that's right I did. Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I'm expected at the—"

"You have to come with me," Molly said, the sound of frantic worry in her voice.

"No, Molly I can't. I have a date with Draco. I was just set to leave."

"But you can't. It's Ron! He's locked himself in the attic. He's distraught—Oh Hermione, he has a bottle of deadly poison that he intends to drink. I need your help. He won't listen to me. All he keeps saying is, 'I killed her.'"

"Merlin. He's not over Padma. Molly, I—Draco will be waiting. I—"

"You have to come and try to talk some sense into him. He said he's useless and the world would be a better place without him."

"Yes, I know, it's just that— oh bollocks, Ron! Why tonight of all nights?" Hermione chastised as she reached for her sweater. "Let's go." _Ten minutes Dragon_.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"I don't pretend to know exactly what you're feeling Ron, but I sort of know. I felt like rubbish when Ginny ran off with a gypsy," Hermione heard Harry say when she arrived at the Burrow and scaled the never-ending flight of stairs that led to the attic room. "Come on Ron, let me in," Harry said.

"Just use your wand," Hermione whispered.

"Can't. He said he'd drink the potion if anyone used magic," Harry said with a frown.

"Ron, its Hermione. I'm here, can I come in?" she asked through the door and then she waited. She heard his lumbering footsteps and then the door was flung open. He reached out for Hermione, catching her by the arm as he dragged her inside the attic and closed the door tight. He threw his arms around her and sobbed.

"I killed her."

"Ron, you have to let this go. You didn't kill her. She killed herself when she used that Unforgivable curse."

"I'm worthless. I'm rubbish at everything I do. Nobody wants me, and why should they?"

"Ron, that's preposterous."

"You didn't want me," he cried.

"That's different. You know I love Draco."

"I just want to go to sleep and never wake up," he said and he uncapped the dark green bottle with the skull on it and then before she had the chance to stop him, he swallowed it down.

"Ron, what did you do?" Hermione shouted. He fell to his knees and then his face began to change colours. "What is this potion?" Hermione asked as she rifled through her evening bag for a bezoar. She always carried one, just in case.

"Draught of Living Death. Brewed it me self." Ron's face turned green and then purple and then a deep shade of crimson. Steam began to billow from his ears and his hands puffed up like an air filled balloon as they grew to ten times their normal size. Hermione stood in horror and watched.

"Draught of Living Death is made with the powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood. Ron, what did you use to brew it?"

"I think—I think, I must have missed a step. Asphodel? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure! Gods, we have to get you to St. Mungo's. Harry!" Hermione shouted for her friend and Harry bust through the door. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the hideous sight of Ron, their friend.

"He botched a potion. We have to get him to St. Mungo's. Help me with him," Hermione said and Harry nodded as they struggled to lift their friend from the floor.

~~~~~0~~~~

"Minister, do you want to order or shall we wait a bit longer?" the waiter asked and Draco tossed his napkin down on the table in frustration.

"How many place settings do you see?"

"Two, Sir."

"And how many people do you see sitting at this table?"

"One, Minister."

"Precisely. So why would I wish to order when my date hasn't arrived? Hmm?" he said angrily.

"Yes, Sir. We will wait then?"

"Bloody hell," he said and rose from the table and sauntered to the double doors that led to the patio. He flung them open and paced out onto the terrace. The violinists Blaise had hired began to play their instruments. "Stop that racket!" Draco hollered at them. He was supposed to have a quiet dinner with Hermione, and then he would whisk her out onto the terrace where they would dance under the stars together.

"You are alone? That is a shame. Play the music," a woman said and the violins began to play once more. "Perhaps you would care to dance with me Minister?" the woman said and Draco turned around to see the voluptuous, Thai Minister who was wearing a black, lace dress that hugged her petite frame standing before him with her hand extended.

"No thank you, Minister. I'm not in the mood to dance."

"Then I shall dance for you," she said and then her hips began to sway. Draco's jaw dropped when her hands smoothed themselves over the curvature of her ample bosom and then raked themselves down her hourglass hips and back up again. He gulped. _Where in the fuck are you Hermione?_

~~~~~0~~~~~

"I thought you would chicken out," Jillian said in the dark broom closet in the dungeons. She'd slipped out of her Slytherin dorm after curfew and had made her sneaky way to the broom closet, which was their planned place for a midnight rendezvous.

"I said I would come, didn't I?" Albus defended as he closed the door behind them and lit a lantern. The room was basked in yellow light.

"Well, snog me already," she said impatiently when Albus just stood there panting, as if he'd run all the way to the dungeons from the Gryffindor tower. He moved in and he kissed her and she slipped her tongue inside his mouth deepening their kiss. That went on for several minutes, minutes that Jillian enjoyed immensely. Albus was a good kisser and she wanted more.

"I have a surprise for you," she whispered when she broke off their kiss.

"Oh?" he gulped.

"Guess what I'm wearing under my robe?" she said cheekily.

"I—I dunno," he said, his voice cracking with nerves.

"Nothing at all," she giggled.

"Oh. Wow, alright."

_Silence_

"Well, do you want to see it?" she finally asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"I'll show mine, but you have to show yours too. Alright?"

He nodded.

She opened her robe and then she reached for the lantern, holding it at hip level. Albus's eyes roved downwards and then nearly bulged out of their sockets when he saw her womanliness. "Now your turn," she said and she raised the lantern and passed it to him. He paused as if wary. "Chicken shit. I showed you mine."

"No, I'm not a chicken," he said and then he unzipped his fly and eased his pants down. He moved the lantern downwards and Jillian all at once felt embarrassed, but also riveted as she saw her first penis, an erect one at that. It was bigger than she imagined, though she had nothing to compare it to.

"Can I touch it?" she asked. He nodded again and she reached out and wrapped her hand around his shaft.

"You can touch me too," she said and then she moved closer to him and she guided his hand between her legs. Their lips found each other once more as they explored one another's bodies in the dark of the closet.

"I thought I heard voices in here," a Professor said and Jillian's heart jumped out of her chest when she looked up to see her Uncle Nathaniel standing in the doorway with his arms folded and a deep scowl marring his face.

~~~~~0~~~~~

Hermione was out of her mind with worry as she and Harry paced the waiting room at St. Mungo's. Finally, Persephone arrived to give them some news of their friend.

"He's going to be fine, just as soon as the potion runs its course. You can go in and see him now, but beware that it's like a steam bath in there. His ears are acting like tea kettles, oh and use these," she said and she passed Hermione and Harry a pair of ear plugs. "They whine like a tea kettle too."

"Er—I think I'll wait out here for a bit. You go ahead 'Mione," Harry said and she nodded as she stuffed the plugs into her ears and pushed through the door to Ron's room.

"I can't even kill myself properly. I'm a failure at that too," Ron moaned just as one of his ears began to holler. Hermione cringed at the shrillness as she made her way through the steamy room where she stopped at Ron's bedside.

"Ron, you have to stop this. You can't go on blaming yourself for Padma's death. Padma was a rude witch. Alright, I said it? She treated you like rubbish and she talked badly about you behind your back. You are good at loads of things, so stop acting as if you are worthless."

"Oh yeah, what am I good at 'Mione?" Ron asked, his eyes puffy from crying.

"Wizards Chess for one. You are aces at it. I don't know anyone who can beat you. There's a professional circuit, you know? You ought to join up. You can travel the world and I bet you meet a lot of witches in your travels," Hermione said laying a gentle hand on Ron's shoulder.

"Yeah? I am really good at chess. Thanks 'Mione," Ron said with a small smile. "I'm sorry you had come out to the Burrow. You look really pretty in that dress. I bet Malfoy wanted to kill me when you told him that you had to go out and rescue your idiot mate," Ron chuckled.

"Merlin, I forgot about Draco! Ron, I have to go."

~~~~~0~~~~

"Persephone, please don't go," Harry said and he stepped in front of her when she tried to leave. "I think you got the wrong idea about me and Ginny the last time we talked."

"No, I don't think I did," she shot back. "You said you love her."

"And I do."

"Then get out of my way."

"No. Look Seph, I think I'm in love with you. I know you could do loads better than me. I'm old enough to be your father and I'd be holding you back from a lot but—"

"How can you love me?"

"What? What do you mean how? We made love, I thought it was evident."

"You say you love Ginny, now you say you love me? I need someone I can count on Harry! It isn't just me anymore and you're living with Ginny again."

"You don't understand. Ginny is the Mum of my kids. She's a friend. I love her like I love all my friends. I can't change that, she's been in my life for almost my whole life."

"Exactly, and it's just a matter of time before you are shagging her up in your cozy little loft," Persephone said fuming.

"That's not going to happen. The only person I want to shag in my loft is you. Hey, what did you mean it isn't just you anymore?" Harry asked and Persephone pulled away.

"I have to go. I'm off and I need to go house hunting. With Mr. Mal-Draco back I can't stay at Serenity anymore. They need their privacy while they put their lives back together. I just—I have to go."

"Then I'll come with you. Besides, I know the perfect house. It's in a little town called Godric's Hollow. I'd like to show it to you."

"Don't bother. I'm sure that Ginny is waiting for you as we speak."

"Are you jealous?" Harry said as if completely dumbfounded. She absolutely adored that humbleness about him, even if at present time it was thoroughly annoying. Did he really not know that he was Harry Frigging Potter and that he was like this golden hero in the eyes of the wizarding world? The thing was, he didn't. He didn't see himself as that and it just made Persephone love even the more. "Let me show you the house, and then maybe I can explain a few things to you about Ginny and why your worries are for naught."

"Fine," Persephone said as she burst out into the January chill with Harry Potter at her side.

~~~~~0~~~~~

To say that Draco was pissed by the time he arrived back at Malfoy Manor would have been an understatement. He was stark raving mad, hornier than hell, rejected and stood up, and ready to eviscerate anything in his path as he swaggered up the stairs, ignoring Narcissa who had asked him how his date had gone. He stripped off his clothes and then entered the loo where he turned on the shower. A cold shower. Everything was down the fucking drain. The whole night was a wash. He practically had to pry the Thai Minister off him and all in a polite way as not to ruffle her feathers. They had a political alliance and one he couldn't risk breaking, but in his politeness he felt a sense of being violated as she groped at him continuously and without end. He finally apparrated away, feigning illness when her hand snaked its way up his leg to his groin. A part of him wanted to fuck her right there on the dance floor, just to get back at Hermione for standing him up, but with all sincerity the only person he wanted to fuck was his wife. Exwife. And he wanted to fuck her hard. It was all he could think about as he exited the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist.

"Fucking Granger, how could you stand me up?" he cursed as he opened the door and made his tired way to bed.

"A friend tried to kill himself tonight. I had to take him to St. Mungo's. Oh Dragon, I am sorry I missed our date," she said and Draco's head shot up. She was the vision of beauty, wearing a strapless red gown with just the right amount of leg and cleavage showing, enough to drive him bloody bonkers with excitement, but not so much that she looked like a dime store floozy like the Thai Minister had. She traced her fingers over the bare skin of his chest and Draco felt chills upon her touch. "Can you ever forgive me?" she asked and she looped her arms around his neck and peppered his neck with kisses. The way she smelled was intoxicating but he had no intention of letting her off that easy.

"You could have owled at least," he said in a husky voice, his loins burning for the witch whose lips were now kissing down his chest. She tore the towel away from his hips and then she knelt before him. He looked down to see the chocolate puddles that were her eyes staring up at him as she took his hardened cock into her mouth. His head fell back and he moaned when he felt her warm mouth around him.

"You know you're going to have to be punished for this," he said in between moans and he let out a soft chuckle when her arms shot up over her head as if expecting to be bound with rope. He intended to do just that too. And more. He raked his hands through her bushy hair and then gently thrust into her mouth forcing her to take more of him. A less experienced witch would have gagged upon the act but Hermione instead reached around and grabbed his arse in her hands and then pulled him even deeper inside the cavern of her mouth. The bold act from the glorious witch that was on her knees before him, caused him to climax right then and there as he exploded into her mouth. She swallowed his essence down and then she stood before him, her lips swollen and red.

"I'm ready for my punishment, Sir," she said and she wagged her eyebrows at him. In a split second Draco had her dress unzipped as it pooled at her feet.

"You will eat those words by the time I'm finished with you Granger," he said with a smirk.

"I can hardly wait," she replied and he captured her lips with his.

Review!?

Sorry it's been a little bit of a wait for an update. I took a holiday break is all. Lots of good stuff coming up and Luke and Lucius in next chapter as well.


	20. Declarations and Betrothals

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Twenty

"What are you doing?" Jillian asked, panicked. Her Uncle Nathaniel sat across from her at his desk, scrawling a letter on a parchment.

"I'm writing to your father."

"You can't do that!"

"No? Would you rather write the letter then? He has to be told. If I write the letter and send it, then it becomes an official Hogwarts letter."

"But you can't do that. Dad will send me off to Beauxbaton's, an all-girl school. I'd go bloody nutters if I had to go to that prissy school. It's not as if I did anything wrong. Loads of students do a lot more than what you caught us doing. It's not that big a deal."

"Perhaps you should have considered that before you went into that closet with Albus."

"You can't send that," Jillian said and she reached across the desk and snatched the letter. She crumpled it in her tight fist and stared daggers at her Uncle. Nathaniel casually reached across his desk, produced a new, crisp parchment, dipped his quill in the ink once more and began to write a new letter. "Stop! Please!"

"Why?" Nat drawled disinterestedly as he continued to write.

"Because I don't want Dad to know that I let a boy touch my privates."

"And why don't you want him to know? I mean if what you said is true, then what you were doing in that closet was almost something to be proud of. Right? So let's let your parents know, so they can share in your scholarly successes."

"I never said I was proud, I just said that it wasn't a big deal."

"If you are right then you have nothing to worry about and you can dispel any notion of going to a _mostly_ all-girl school like the reputable, Beauxbatons. No?"

"You can't write that letter. Please Uncle Nat. Please don't tell." Jillian began to cry at that. She was surprised when her Uncle passed her a tissue.

"I'll consider not telling your father, but only if you get real as in right _now_. Tell me what's going on with you. Why the change from serious student, why the glamours, why was Albus Potter touching you in a most inappropriate way in the broom closet?"

"All the girls do it."

"Right then if that's how it's going to be. You will serve detention with me for a month. Your parents will be notified as will the Headmaster. Go back to your dorm and don't stop off in any closets Jillian Malfoy," Nathaniel said sternly. "As for Albus, well, the Headmaster is notorious for being far harder on the male students who are caught in lewd acts of conduct, much more so than the female students."

"Fine. I'll tell you," she said with an exasperated sigh.

"I'm listening."

"I get angry, even though I have no right to be angry. I'm angry at my Mum mostly, but that's just because I'm so much like her. I feel cold and lonely most of the time."

"Why?"

"I'm the reason for the Dailey Prophet articles. I'm the reason my parents broke up. I'm the reason Luke is gone and never coming back and I'm also the reason why Scorpius can't play Quidditch. Oh, and I am also responsible for Albus's Mum joining the circus. Everywhere I go I cause misery."

"Whoa," Nathaniel said. "That's a pretty full plate of guilt. How can you be responsible for all of that?"

"I ran off. I was the reason my Dad was attacked by a mountain troll and gone for so long. I'm the reason my Mum went with that buffoon, Weasley. I'm the reason Luke and Scorpius had to go after Dad. Oh and I'm also the reason my Grandfather is gone too and Grandma is sad and lonely. Scorpius hurt his arm bringing Dad back, Mum was in mourning and Ginny joined the circus after I told her that she should just follow her heart. I didn't know her heart was at the circus and that Albus would lose his Mum and his Dad would be miserable though!" Jillian sobbed.

Just then an owl swooped in and Nathaniel opened the window to retrieve the morning edition, _Dailey Prophet_. He gaped when he saw it and then he quickly stashed it behind his back. "Let me see it. What is it now?"

"It's just more lies."

"Let me see it!"

"Jillian, you can't believe everything that is printed. I know your father loves your Mum very much."

"Shit!" Jillian cursed. "When Mum sees this she's going to be devastated. That's my fault too. That bint has her hands all over Dad. I blasted Mum to Dad. I wanted him to feel better after Mum hooked up with Mr. Weasley. Everything I touch turns to cinders Uncle Nat! Do you think he's going to marry the Thai Minister? Will I have to call her Mum? I don't want a new Mum. I love my Mum even if everything I do is a big disappointment to her."

"Come here," Nathaniel said and he held open his arms. Jillian sunk into him, weeping like a babe on her Uncle's shoulder.

~~~~~0~~~~~

She was bound with a silvery rope that tightened around her ankles and wrists when she wriggled. "Don't move Sweetpea 'lest you feel immeasurable pain," Draco sniggered, as he dipped his head between her legs and blew his hot breath on her core. Satisfying goose bumps erupted down her legs.

"This teasing is driving me mad," Hermione mumbled as her head thrashed from side to side.

"What was that, Granger? I didn't hear that."

"I said, stop teasing me. Make love to me."

"Well I can't do that, can I? We aren't married. It wouldn't be proper."

"Proper? And tying me up and toying with me is?"

"You forgot the clamps," Draco said sinisterly and then he reached behind him and Hermione's eyes went wide.

"What are you going to do with those?" she asked nervously when she saw the nipple clamps in his hand. She squealed when she felt the teeth clamp down over her nipples. It was painful but also stimulating at the same time and she felt a gush of wetness in her nether region. "Oh no, not there. Draco please!"

"I love when you beg like that, Granger. Do you see the effect it has on me?" he said and she felt his hardened cock graze against her slit.

"Yes, fuck me Dragon."

"I've always wanted to try this—" he said instead and then Hermione squealed again when she felt the clamp go down over her bud. The sensations shot through her like a speeding bullet and her whole body wriggled involuntarily. The ropes tightened and she could no longer move at all. She was pinned down, spread eagled and totally at the blond's mercy. He grinned devilishly as he rubbed his palms together and wagged his eyebrows. "You're really going to like this bit," he said and then he dipped his head once more and Hermione moaned out when she felt his tongue flick over her swollen cherry. The pain from the clamp combined with his velvety tongue on her most private of places sent her over the edge. She was climbing the walls as her guttural cries echoed through the room. He removed the clamp and then sucked down over her tender flesh and she came instantly. "That's my girl. Good girl. See, I told you you'd like it."

"Please fuck me," she begged.

"Which friend tried to off themsellf tonight? I can only hope that it was the Weasel and that he succeeded in his efforts."

"No. I'm not telling. Just screw me senseless, Draco. No more teasing. I want your cock." Draco slammed his dick inside her, filling her up completely and Hermione inhaled sharply. "Yes, oh gods yes." That's when he pulled out.

"Tell me or I won't pleasure you."

"I promise you I'll tell you after."

"No. Now," Draco said and he removed one of the nipple clamps and replaced it with his mouth as he nipped and sucked at her pebbled flesh.

"It was Ron."

"Your fiancé?"

"He's not my fiancé. I love you. It's always been you."

"Do you think that Weasel could fuck you like this?" Draco asked and then he impaled her with his rod, ramming himself hard inside her, so hard her head banged against the headboard with each plowing thrust of his hips. He was drilling her with his hard cock and Hermione was moaning loud enough to wake a sleeping giant. "Answer me or I'll stop."

"Gahhh," was all she managed to get out as her second orgasm took her by force. Draco's hips were rolling into her and he too was groaning out in pleasure. She was only mildly aware of where she was, her head somewhere in the clouds, when one of his fingers slipped inside her arse while he pumped her full of his love.

"I fucking love you so much woman," Draco bit out through husky pants and tears burst from her eyes upon his declaration.

"I love you too, Dragon." His tongue was in her mouth and he fumbled for his wand and nearly shouted an incantation. Her restraints fizzled away when he did so. He cradled her in his arms holding her so tight, her bosom pressed against his sweaty chest, and their hearts beating together as one.

"I need you in my bed, at my side for always," he admitted and she held him close snogging him like she'd never snogged her husband. She was breathless and she couldn't ever remember feeling such all encumbering closeness with Draco as they laid their together, entwined and holding eachother so tight as if they might lose one another if they ever let go. And Draco, Draco rarely ever showed that side of himself, the vulnerable side that was hidden beneath that cool Malfoy exterior, but the one that was his true self. The one she loved. Her heart bloomed with renewed passion for the wizard that captured her heart so many years earlier.

"I'm yours Draco."

"Mine," he whispered. As if sensing his vulnerability he followed that comment with something purely Malfoy, but Hermione saw threw it. They were two peas in a pod, together, forever, and no shredded marriage decree could change that, at least not to Hermione. "So am to assume that the Weasel did not off himself?"

"Draco, that's really mean," she said and the snarky Draco was back. She chuckled and then she clobbered him over the head with the pillow.

"Don't think I was finished with you. You won't be able to walk tomorrow when I'm done with you," he said and then he threw her legs over his shoulders and took what was rightfully his. Again.

~~~~~0~~~~

"Draco Abraxas Malfoy!" he heard her voice from outside the door and he popped his eyes open, startled.

"Merlin, I forgot that your mother was even here," Hermione said and she threw the blankets over her head. "We were so loud Draco," she uttered from under the covers.

"I'm coming in and I'm going to toss that trollup right out the bloody window," Narcissa howled as she burst through the bedroom door.

"Mum, get out," Draco said annoyed.

"I saw the _Daily Prophet_. How could you Draco? I thought you had a date with Hermione."

"Mum, you're making a fool of yourself. Get out."

"I will not. I heard you carrying on last night. Don't believe it, Draco. She was faking it. Yes, I know you want to think that you are the greatest lover in all the wizarding world, you get that notion from your father. He too has an ego, not that I mind. Heavens I miss his dear heart and wish he would return. But I swear I know a faker when I hear one," she said angrily and she pointed to a hidden Hermione who was as still as a statue under the guise of the blankets. "Why I've faked it myself on occasion. I don't care if you're the Thai Minister, you are not welcome in my house so just get on out," his mother said and then she ripped the blankets off the bed with her thin, pale fingers.

"I was so not faking it!" Hermione announced, blushing. Narcissa's eyebrows flew up and she quickly turned a bright shade of pink upon realizing her mistake.

"I—I—I think the house elves need my help in the kitchen. I thought I'd serve you breakfast in bed. Good to see you again, dear. Don't mind me," Narcissa said backing out of the room.

"It's alright, Mum Malfoy. I'm perfectly fine. Draco's ego might not be, but I'm right as rain," Hermione laughed.

"That was not fucking funny," Draco said through gritted teeth.

"The bit about faking it really got to you, huh?" she giggled.

"Have you?"

"Have I what?" he could barely get the unconscionable words out of his mouth. It was if they died on his lips. It was such a disturbing thought to think that any woman would pretend to enjoy sex with the Slytherin sex God. It was devious and evil. "Have you done what she said…Ever?"

"Hmm, I'd have to think about that," Hermione said, toying with him. Draco pinned her at that.

"Think fast," he drawled, not finding the situation at hand remotely funny.

"I don't think so," she said with a smirk.

"You don't think so?" he asked, his voice raised and then with her hands securely pinned he reached with the other hand and began to twist her sore nipple between his fingers. "No! I've never faked it," she declared and Draco leaned down and kissed her perky nipple. "I never had to," she said raking her hands through his hair. "You are more than I can handle in bed. Now what's this about the Thai Minister?"

Draco froze.

~~~~0~~~

Harry owned several properties in Godric's Hollow, including the house that belonged to his parents. When Persephone announced that she needed to find a house, his first inclination was to ask her to move in with him. It was rushing things though, not to mention the annoying fact that Ginny was also living there, temporarily, so instead he had opted to bring her to Godric's Hollow to one of his rental properties.

"I love the village, it's so quaint. It looks picturesque in the snow. One of Scorpius's mates lives here somewhere. He was a teammate that played for Chudley back when he was their Seeker."

"There are quite a few professional Quidditch players that reside here."

"Which means I can't afford to live here, as nice as the village is. I'm a Healer and I don't make much money, Harry," she said with a frown.

"I'm sure you can, they don't cost as much as you'd think. Besides, I'm good mates with the owner of this one," Harry said and he pointed to a cottage on a hill that was nestled amidst a clump of shade trees that overlooked rolling fields and vast, sweeping grounds that covered nearly a fourth of the entire town.

"I could never afford that, besides, it's too big. I'm looking for something smaller, you know, maybe like that one," she said and Harry felt chills shoot down his spine when she pointed to his childhood home, the home where his parents were killed and where Voldemort gave him the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.

"That one hasn't been renovated. Let's look at some others."

"It just needs some paint and elbow grease. It's absolutely perfect."

"Persephone, it hasn't been lived in in decades. There are much nicer cottages that are move-in ready. You wouldn't have to lift a finger, could just move right in." She was glowing though as she stepped through the creaky gate. Harry followed behind her, reluctantly.

"Perhaps I don't want something that is move-in ready. Perhaps I want to put my own flair to it. My last home was all Scorpius. His tastes aren't nearly the same as mine. This house has character. It's absolutely perfect. Can we go inside?"

"Er—Yeah, if you really want to."

She breezed in like a summer wind with Harry following closely behind her. He removed the framed pictures that hung on the wall in the foyer, pictures of him as a baby and of his Mum and Dad. Persephone was raving about the house as she trod up the stairs. "Look, there' even a nursery. This is so perfect." Harry cringed, knowing which room she was in. It was his room. That's when it hit him. Persephone couldn't have kids, and yet she had mentioned that it wasn't just her she had to think about any longer. He bolted up the stairs, his heart in this chest. The floors creaked and when he pried open the door to the nursery he found Persephone. She was holding herself around the middle as she stared out at the moon from the window in the nursery.

"Persephone," Harry said and she turned around and stared at him. "Do you have something to tell me?" he asked nervously. She let out a sigh and Harry closed the distance on her, forgetting all about which room it was he was standing in.

"You mentioned something back at St. Mungo's. Something along the lines of you had more than yourself to think about."

"Yeah, me and my big mouth. I never could keep a secret."

"So then there is something to tell?"

"Yeah," she said and looked down. Harry took her by the hands at that.

"I have a secret too. You first though."

"Harry, I'm going to have a baby," she said. "Our baby. I don't know how it happened. The Head Healer thinks it was maybe our magic…I, I'm sorry. I know you already have kids and probably weren't looking to be a father again but—"

"I love you. This is the best news!" At that he let out a loud catcall and then he picked her up into his arms and gave her a smoldering kiss.

"I didn't expect you to be happy. I'm thrilled that you are though," she giggled as he spun her in circles. "Now tell me your secret," she said.

"This house was owned by my parents. This room was mine as a baby."

"Oh Merlin, this is the house that—"

"Yeah, but it's alright. The house feels different now. It feels like a home, and that's all thanks to you. Persephone," he said and then he dropped to one knee. "I don't have a ring just yet, but this feels so right. I love you. Will you marry me?"

~~~~0~~~~

"This is glorious, is it not Grandfather?" Luke said excitedly as he stood in a secret, torch lit cavern that Teya had brought him to.

"Luke, I've been terribly worried. You've been gone for days."

"He is safe…here…This is a place of sanctuary and of worship," Teya said and she smiled up at Luke and squeezed his hand in hers. "I did not mean to cause you to worry," she apologized and Lucius nodded. "I will take my leave of you now. Do not be long though, the Fae nobles await us Golden One."

"Await you for what?" he asked Luke when Teya left.

"Oh, the celebratory rite that will unite the realm," Luke replied as if it were common knowledge. "We're getting married," Luke said overjoyed and Lucius's eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

"I see. Doesn't that seem a tad hasty?"

"Perhaps," Luke said but then he lit his wand on the cavern wall and began to explain to his Grandfather why it made perfect sense. "This was a sealed chamber, one that only Teya and the true nobles of the realm could unseal. Once Glinel was defeated, by the help of Dad, and then once Teya returned the crystal to its proper equilibrium the chamber was unsealed. That's when things became very interesting. Look here, these drawings were made by the ancients. Teya's descendants. It tells the story of her people, and it prophesizes the Golden Age of the realm."

"Interesting," Lucius said and he moved in for a closer look.

"See here, this depiction of the Fae God and Goddess?" he pointed to a picture of a woman and a man, both of which were tall and slender, and both had ears that bore a striking resemblance to that of an elf, though they had wings on their backs.

"I see it, but they hardly look Fae to me," Lucius retorted.

"No, that's where you're wrong. This is how the Fae are meant to look. Now that the crystal is functioning properly, my fiancé too will come to look as the woman in the drawing, as will I eventually. The white crystal above their heads signifies purity of the realm."

"Lumos. And this one?" Lucius shined his wand's light on the drawing next to the elf God and Goddess. It was a depiction of a thunder cloud and of warring realms so far as Lucius could ascertain this by the blood red crystal that loomed above the God and Goddess. The following picture was even more disturbing to Lucius as what it showed was a masked man perched on top of the Goddess in what looked to be sexual in nature. Above them was a snake, whose forked tongue licked at their entwined bodies. Lucius felt chills just looking at it, and he backed up when he saw the familiar looking mask. He knew that mask well, for he had worn it on numerous occasions. The dark mark on his arm burned and he clutched at his wrist and fell to his knees, overcome with a draining energy.

"Grandfather, you right?" Luke asked, worried as he helped Lucius to his feet.

"Luke that depiction is of the Dark Lord."

"I know—It's alright, I promise you. See, look here. Luke skipped over a drawing of a tree whose limbs were strong and tall, branching out far and wide and intersecting with what looked like two glittering globes. "See look here," he said and with a smile plastered to his face as he held his arms up in reverie. "Just look at it, isn't it beautiful?"

Lucius gasped. There on the cavern wall, a wall that was eons old, was his grandson, Luke. There was a golden sun above him and next to him was a woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Ilythea. "Is that?"

"It's me, yeah—and Teya."

"What is that wrapped around your hands?" Lucius asked.

"I had to ask Teya about that too. It's just a simple vine from the woods, but to the Fae it's used in the rite of marriage."

"I see. So because of this drawing, you have now…proposed to the girl?"

"Not just because of the drawing. I love Teya, but this only reinforced my want to marry her."

"Hmm," Lucius said when he shined his light down and noticed that the drawings stopped where a rather large pile of rock chunks and rubble remained. "Where is the rest of the ancient prophecy?"

"Destroyed when Dad took out Glinel. The mountain shook so violently. Remember? Sadly, when that occurred, a part of the chamber was destroyed."

"I see," Lucius said suspiciously. "It would be nice to see the entire prophecy, as having only a part of it doesn't complete the—"

"Grandfather," Luke said laying his hands on the old man's shoulders. "I understand what you're getting at, it occurred to me as well. Teya is pregnant though. I love her. I will marry her at dusk, and unite the realm. I will then go to Dad and ask him to open the realms. He holds the key. The Fae nobles, who have more knowledge of this realm, are all in agreement. The depictions denote a Golden Age, an age that can only be ushered in when I marry Teya. Just congratulate me," Luke said beaming.

"Congratulations," Lucius said, but he worried. There was a niggling voice in the back of his mind, one that couldn't be hushed. Not even Luke's assurances could quiet the voice in Lucius's head, the one that told him that if Voldemort was part of the prophecy then any outcome could yield only pain or worse. Death. When Luke left, Lucius knelt in the cavern and began to rummage through the piles of rubble. What he was looking for he wasn't sure, but it disturbed him that part of the prophecy was missing. He sorted through the pieces of rubble, finding any rock that bore any resemblance of color and of more drawings. Lucius always enjoyed muggle puzzles. Narcissa didn't have the patience for them, but Lucius did.

Review!?


	21. Dodo

**Broomsticks and The Black Caverns**

Chapter Twenty-One

"Something you want to tell me, mate?" Blaise asked with great hesitancy as he pulled up a chair across from a clean shaven and spiffy Draco, who was busily immersed in Ministry business.

"Hmm, looking for more work, because here," he said and he slid a stack of parchments across the desk, "Knock yourself out," he said with a cocky grin.

"You know that's not what I meant," Blaise drawled.

"Oh? Do tell?"

"The _Prophet_. Namely, _this_," Blaise said and he slapped the paper down in front of him. The first picture, the one that the snaky reporter from the _Daily Prophet _had taken at Flourish and Blott's, Draco had more or less expected. It was a picture of he and Hermione, wands drawn on each other and wearing what could only be described as warring expressions upon their angrier than hell, faces. Of course, that was only because they had decided to go out together on Diagon Alley, in order to shop, something they'd always enjoyed doing together. The wands drawn and the angry expressions were due to the flock of paparazzi that followed them there and then got between them with their flashing cameras and endless questions. Draco looked up at Blaise and shook his head.

"Bogus. We were not warring with one another. We were warring with them," Draco said disinterested.

"Turn the page."

"Blaise, honestly?" Draco entertained his assistant and friend though as he thumbed through the paper. His eyes went wide when he saw the moving picture of himself, standing, bare chested at the front door of Malfoy Manor, with a robed witch in his arms, one that he gave a good, long snogging to. His hair was mussed and one of his hands was groping her exposed arse as he passionately kissed the witch.

"Who is she? The Prophet thinks it was the Thai Minister. Her robes are expensive. Look, I know it's none of my business, and you can tell me to shut it, but—"

"Shut it, Blaise," Draco said cutting him off. "This is none of your business. It's none of anyone's business."

"Except that its front page news. I've just spent the better part of the morning fielding questions from more reporters. Who is she?"

"Blaise," Draco sighed. "Alright, I reckon I can trust you," Draco said, but then his speech was cut off when an enraged Hermione barged through the door to his office, her bushy hair bouncing on her shoulders as she slammed the door shut and pulled her wand on Draco.

"Draco Malfoy," Hermione said, seething.

"I—I got to go Draco. I just remembered something I'd forgot—Uh, don't kill each other," Blaise stammered as he nodded to Hermione and then brushed past her, hightailing it out of the room in a hurry.

"This picture?" Hermione said opening her own copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and turning it to face Draco, her wand still lazily in her hand but pointed at him.

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~

It was spring time and the Herbology greenhouse smelled glorious. It was in direct contrast to her mood, which more reflected that of a great, angry, thunder cloud.

"So sorry to hear that your Mum and Dad's marriage went bye-bye just like you're here today, gone tomorrow, tits. You must be all broken up over it," Simone Krum twittered as she elbowed her friend in the ribs. The girl next to her muffled a giggle as the darkly, exotic and stacked Krum girl passed something to the boy next to her. He chuckled and then passed the parchment to someone else. Jillian grew furious. She knew exactly what it was that they were laughing over. The _Dailey Proph_et. Her Uncle Nat had called her out of class and offered to give her the rest of the day off when the spread about his parents and their, "wicked divorce," as it was referred to, had made the papers. She had two tests that day though, and she didn't want to get behind in her studies so she'd decided against better judgment to attend classes. Bad mistake.

"Well whoever your Dad is shagging, he has good taste. She has a nice arse," one boy said and Jillian ground her jaw. She reached for her wand and before she knew it, a clod of horse manure flew through the air, landing on the tall boy's cheek.

"Jilly, stop," Albus whispered and he slinked an arm around her for comfort.

"I can't. I just want to hex them. All of them," she bit out as again she flicked her wand. By the time she finished, it was raining manure as the popular girls squealed in shock and revolt, their hair and clothes stained and stinking of shit. Jillian was laughing, maniacally, enjoying the scene of her enemies caked in manure and crying hysterically. That was until the aging Professor Sprout disarmed her and then pinched her by the ear.

"I hope you 'ad your fun, Missy. You will clean it all up and enjoy a month's detention," the Professor said, scowling down at her. "The rest of you's, dismissed. Go shower off l'est your other Professors' blame me for the shit you all smell like now. Showers. Now!"

"I'll help you," Albus said and he reached for a broom. "They had it coming."

"I have a better idea. Albus, the roses. Smell them?" she said as she made for the back of the greenhouse where rows of blooming roses, with their opening petals stood blossoming."

"Er…Yeah, smells better back here," Albus laughed.

"I just want to lay in them. Don't you? They're so pretty."

"Yeah, but we are supposed to clean this up," he frowned.

"I say we snog instead," Jillian said and she sprawled between the rows of crimson roses, her hair flaying out as she collapsed in the dirt.

"Oh boy," Albus said and he gulped when he saw her. Jillian had butterflies swimming in her stomach when the dark haired boy lay down on top of her and his lips found her mouth.

~~~~~~0~~~~~

It was no use. None of the pieces lined up, and he was still missing a huge chunk of the puzzle. Lucius, at last threw his hands in the air in frustration. He was never going to find the last images of the Fae prophecy. It was a practice in futility.

_Squawk._

"Cease with that, Dodo," he commanded, when the hatchling he named Dodo, pecked at his foot. He turned his attentions back to the wall, folded his arms and scowled. "This prophecy isn't complete," he said with a heavy sigh. The bloody bird squawked again and then flapped it's wings hopping up and down in front of his face. "What is it with you today? My Grandson is to be married and something feels very, _off_. I can't be bothered with you. Now enough of that," he chastised, growing annoyed at the bird. That's when Dodo hopped across the room and snatched the lantern into his beak. "Put that back. I can barely see. I need that to figure out the prophecy. Dodo!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the dark chamber, but the bird took off, squawking all the way as he fluttered and hopped down the dark corridors of the mountain. "Ruddy bird! I swear I will give up bird watching after this. You've ruined it for me entirely," he cursed as he lit his wand and followed the dim yellow light of the lantern as he took off after the baby bird. Downwards he trod, stumbling and slipping on the rocks as he entered the bowels of the caverns. _Just how deep do these tunnels go_, he wondered to himself? Finally, at long last, Dodo fell into view as the yellow, lantern light grew brighter. "I'm likely to wring your neck when I catch you," Lucius bellowed as he hobbled up to the bird and reached down for the lantern. That's when he noticed it. There was a small, wooden door with a handle on it. He would have to crouch to get through it, yet it was big enough for a man to fit through. He proceeded with caution, his wand raised as he jiggled the lock. The door creaked open.

"Help me," he heard. The voice was female and very weak.

"Who's there?"

"Water, please," she begged and Lucius held the lantern on her. He gaped when he saw her. Her face was caked with dirt and dried blood and her lips were cracked and dry. She was crumpled in a ball on the floor where she was chained and shackled in irons. "Please help me, before it's too late."

"You? You're the elf, the one who my son fought. I saw you fall. You were supposed to be dead."

"You must stop her," the woman said. "Water, please?"

"Stop who?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow. He couldn't stand to see her in such a state though, so he cast the _Aguamenti_ charm over his wand and a stream of water shot from the tip. She struggled as she cupped her hands and then drank the water that pooled in her dirty palms, her chains clanking as she moved to drink. "Who must I stop?" Lucius asked again.

"Ilythea," she said again. "She will bring down your realm."

"Teya? No, Teya is good. She is marrying my Grandson tonight."

"You must stop the wedding."

"Why? Why should I stop the wedding?" Lucius asked, growing worried. That niggling feeling was back.

"The Prophecy…" Glinel said weakly.

"Part of its gone. Lost. Do you know the rest of the prophecy? Did you see it?" he asked eagerly. She nodded to him. "Will you tell me?"

"Water," she said again and Lucius obliged, eagerly.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"You saw that did you?" Draco said and he smirked.

"Yes, I did," Hermione said and a smile spread across her lips as she lowered her wand.

"Get you hot and bothered too?" he asked as he leaned back in his leather chair and clasped his hands behind his head.

"Well not at first. At first I was wondering just how in the hell they managed to get that picture. I left Malfoy Manor quite early that morning. I had to be in court and I knew I'd have to spend some time in front of the mirror with my wand, ridding myself of all the love bites before I could show myself in public."

"Yeah, that was quite a hot night, as I recall," Draco said as he loosened his tie and began to unbutton his shirt. Hermione licked her lips at the sight.

"Then after I got over the fact that those hovering buzzards somehow managed to snap a picture of a moment so personal. Then I got hot and bothered," she said and she charged at Draco. He opened his arms and she pounced on him, straddling him in the chair as their lips crashed down on one another's.

"I was always fond of your right cheek," Draco said referring to the scandalous photo from the newspaper and he raked his hands up her skirt and slid his hand under her knickers where he kneaded the flesh of her bum. Her right cheek to be exact. Hermione moaned as she smoothed her hands over his chest and pushed his shirt down his arms.

"Good thing it was the right cheek not the left, in that case," she giggled. "Perhaps my bum will be famous. The right cheek I mean," Hermione bit out as she dropped kisses over the blond's neck.

"I love you, you cheeky bitch," Draco purred as he ripped her knickers from her body and tossed them over his head. Hermione went to work on his belt buckle in feverous fashion and then with zero hesitancy, she dropped to her knees when his cock sprang forth in all its glorious length.

"I think we need to tell the family that we're back together," Hermione said, pulling her mouth off his searing flesh and staring up at him.

"Yeah. Too much talk though. Suck me woman," he agreed but then his hand was pushing her head back down over him and she was gagged with his hardened rod. She didn't disappoint and it was music to her ears to hear his husky moans.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"It tastes like a worn out, old, Quidditch sock," Scorpius bit out angrily when the Healer asked him if his breakfast was to his liking. Lily's eyebrows flew up in surprise at his outburst. Sure, she could tell that he wasn't coping with being in the hospital, but to bite the poor Junior Healer's head off, well, it was mean, not to mention piss-poor judgment since she was the on duty healer and would have to take him to therapy later on that same day. No doubt she would push him hard, harder than she normally did and he would pay for his boorish behavior towards her. "Just get out. Don't come back today. I'm sick of looking at you."

"Well that was bloody rude. I'm sorry Healer Randi," Lily said with a polite smile. The Healer was fuming though as she exited the room in a hurry. "Scorpius, you can be a royal arse."

"Why?" he bit out and then he cringed in pain and held his arm. "She asked me how the breakfast was and I told her the truth."

"She was just making conversation. That's why. She didn't really care how it tasted. Besides, it's not as if she made it herself. They probably have house elves for that."

"Yeah, and those elves deserve to be—"

"Don't say it, or I'll leave," Lily said folding her arms.

"You'll leave? Are you threatening me?"

"Yep," she stood her ground. He looked shocked by her response, and she wondered if Persephone had put up with his shit, because she sure as hell wasn't about to let him get away with acting like a pompous, prat. Scorpius had a strong personality, so she didn't blame Persephone for it, who had always been shy and rather meek, but Lily also had a bit of a boisterous personality herself, so she wasn't above putting the handsome jock in his place when the situation called for it. She was about to chastise him further when she felt the baby kick inside her. "Oh!" she said and her hand shot to her belly.

"I will not have that woman coming in here and demanding things of me—was that the baby?" Scorpius asked, cutting off his own complaints of the Healer when he heard Lily.

"The little monster inside me is kicking my insides out."

"Hey, that little monster is _my_ baby. Come here. Let me feel it," he ordered.

"Only if you apologize to the Healer when she comes back in."

"Blackmail?"

"Yep," she grinned.

"Fine," Scorpius rolled his eyes. "I'll apologize, but I'd bet anything that she won't show her face in this room again."

"Why is that, because you're so big and bad and scary?" Lily asked cheekily as she scooted into the bed next to him and placed his hand over her swollen belly.

"Well, yeah. I mean not many are stupid enough to mess with me," he boasted. His eyes lit up when he felt the baby kick against his hand and Lily smiled.

"Yeah, not many. Except for the entire Irish Quiditch team." Scorpius glared at her and Lily bust out into a fit of laughter. Finally, Scorpius too began to laugh. The smile though was wiped off his face when the Healer entered the room, slapped a new tray of food down on the table and glared at him.

"I made this myself. If it's not to your liking then you best keep it to yourself because if you say one unkind word about my cooking, I'm likely to break your other arm," the woman said angrily as she blew a stray hair from her face, one that had fallen out of her neatly rolled bun.

"Thank you," Scorpius said and then he turned his attentions back to Lily's baby bump. Lily cleared her throat when the Healer began to leave the room. "Also, I'm sorry," Scorps said with great reluctance, and Lily beamed.

"I don't know why, but I love you. Even if you are an ill-mannered, loud mouthed—"

"Sexy as hell, bloody the best on and off the Quidditch field," Scorpius finished her sentence. Lily laughed at his arrogance.

"Yeah, though it's hard to remember. Better prove the bit about the off the Quidditch field, bit," she said and she wagged her eyebrows. He was all too eager to prove and to please as he pillaged her mouth, his tongue swooping into her mouth and snogging the ever living life out of her. Lily felt electrifying tingles everywhere upon feeling his touch.

~~~~~~0~~~~~~

"I was completely ineffective at wrangling him in, but Lily, wow, she has him wrapped around her little finger," Persephone said as she stood outside her ex-husband's room, unintentionally eavesdropping. She and Harry had to come to share the joyous news with Harry's daughter Lily who they knew was visiting Scorpius.

"You have me wrapped around your finger though," Harry said and he took her hand in his where he brought it to his mouth and kissed each finger.

"And that' the only finger I want to be wrapped around," she said happily and she hugged him tightly. "I guess we should wait to tell her the news. It looks like a bad time." Harry nodded and then he kissed her as gawking Healer's passed by them, all heads turning to see the unlikely pair.

~~~~~0~~~~~

"Have you thought about names? I'm crap at that. If it were up to me I'd probably name it Seeker or Chaser. Chase isn't bad for a boy, but what if it's a girl?" Lily rambled, as she sat in the crook of the blond's good arm and fed him breakfast while Scorpius caught up on the Quidditch news.

"Chase is a good name. It's not going to be a girl. Did you feel how hard he kicked? It's definitely a boy. A Seeker too, with a nice kick off. Fucking hell!" Scorpius suddenly said and he flew from the bed and began to rifle through the cupboard for his clothes. He stripped off his hospital gowns, but then had to ask Lily for assistance when he couldn't get his shirt over his head because of his injured arm.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked with worry.

"I have to pay a visit to my Dad. He's splashed all over the front page with some skank that he's groping."

"Oh that," Lily said under her breath.

"You knew?"

"Well yeah, your parents' bitter divorce has been in the rags for months now. I thought you knew."

"Divorce? What? No, I did not know! They always act friendly enough when they visit. I just assumed things were normal. I have to go. You have to help me—"

~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~

She was the vision of beauty, spread eagled and naked, her back flat against his desk. His hips rolled into her and she would moan out his name. He'd pull out and she would tighten her legs around his thighs, beckoning him back into her hot,loving, wetness.

"Gods, yes, just like that Dragon," she purred for him and he was in heaven. He made love to her, pounding her with his manhood, giving her all that she wanted and in his heart he felt love, love for the only witch he could ever love. He admired every inch of her body as he fucked her with all that he had. In and out he impaled her and with each thrust of his hips into her, he felt her gushing wetness engulf him. It was bloody amazing, and he found himself edging closer to his own mind blowing orgasm. Hermione- his girl, his Sweetpea, his wife, his friend, his lover, his everything. She was so much hotter than the _Daily Prophet_ did her justice. He latched onto her nipple with his mouth and then hammered her hot pussy. She was writhing under him, calling out his name and they were both coming undone. He shot his love inside her and her body went limp in his arms. They were both panting when it was all said and done, and he collapsed on her, his head buried in her neck, where she raked loving fingers through his hair. That's when they heard his shouts and Hermione went rigid under him. He shot up and so did she. There was no time.

"Draco, he's going to see me naked. What do we do? Oh, where is my wand?" she said frantically. "I forgot to lock the door."

"Shit, I threw your panties somewhere," Draco said as he shucked on his pants and threw on his shirt, his eyes darting about his office, in search of Hermione's shredded panties. She was only half dressed when they heard his voice right outside the door, arguing with Prunella. "Quick, under the desk." Hermione opened her mouth to protest but then Draco's hand was on her head pushing her down just as the door was flung open.

"You're fucking cheating on Mum! How could you?"

"Scorpius, what are you doing out of St. Mungo's?" Draco asked, buttoning his shirt and raking a hand through his hair. He casually sat down behind his desk, in a futile attempt to look presentable and moreover, normal.

"I asked you a question, Dad. Fucking hell, what were you doing when I came in here? Why are your clothes all fucked up and your hair all mussed? Why do you look like you just shagged a skank?" Scorpius howled in accusatory tones. He was becoming enraged as he pulled out his wand.

"Just calm down, Scorpius. I was just working. Look, really son, your mother and I will pay you a visit later and everything will be explained. You need to go back to St. Mungo's now. Lily, is that you back there?" Draco called out.

"Yes, Mister Malfoy. I'm sorry. Nice to see you again," she said cheerily, though her voice was shaking.

"Working, eh? Then what do you call these?" Scorps said and Draco let out a heavy sigh when his son plucked the torn pair of pink panties that had apparently landed atop the lamp shade where he twirled them in his fingers. "You got a skank in here, don't you? Is it the one you were groping in the _Dailey Prophet_? Where is she? Is she in the closet?" he asked and he threw open Draco's wardrobe, the closet where he kept his official Minister of Magic dress robes for special occasions.

"Don't push me Scorps. You're my son and I love you, but challenging your Dad in this way isn't at all cool, nor is it right. This is your last chance. Go back to St. Mungo's and wait for your Mum and I. This can all be explained."

"She's here, I know she is. I walked in on something. You look like a slut. No better than rubbish really, and you won't get your hands on my Dad or on the Malfoy fortune. Trust me, I've seen far better arses on a witch," Scorpius said mocking Hermione. Draco grit his teeth. He was pissed. "Face it, you're a gold digger, and my Dad might have temporarily fallen under your trampy, slutty spell but it won't last. I won't let you into this family. Who wears slutty panties like this anyways? Cheap, dime store panties for a cheap, dime store witch," Scorpius said, twirling her torn panties on his finger in rapid fashion.

"Now you went and did it," Draco said seething. Knowing that her beloved husband had spent a fortune on only the best lingerie for Hermione, spun from the finest threads, and knowing that her beloved son had just insulted her rounded and nice bum, and that Draco was probably going to throttle their injured son, Hermione did the only thing that she could. She crawled out from under Draco's desk.

"Scorpius Malfoy, drop my panties right this second! I love you Dragon, but I got this."

"Mum?" Scorpius said in almost a whisper, his face taking on an expression that reminded Hermione of his four year old self. He dropped her panties as if the panties were a hot coal, and then he shivered as if traumatized. Draco bellowed with laughter as Hermione's face turned a bright shade of crimson.

Review!?

I am sorry this took a bit to put up. I am having some health issues, nothing too bad, but it's left me completely exhausted as of late. Anyways, let me know! I started the sequel to Ravenclaw Affair, but honestly I probably won't update that story again until I finish this one.


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